The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-23
BOYS CORN CLUBS.
Why Not Organize Them in Lee
County-SuggestiOns as to Similar
Organizations Among the Girls.
Stanford EXDresS.)


Boys Corn Clubs have been or
San1zed in a number of counties in
this State. and The Express would
suggest that such clubs be formed in
this county. Our corn production
Goes not average over 30 bushels TO
the acre, but Mr.. W. I. Brooks, Mrs.
pence Kelly and other good farm
ers have demonstrated that four or
five times this amount of corn can
be produced on one acre of ground in
Lee county. Clubs might be organ
iZed at the public school houses of
the county. A representative from
the National Department of Agricul-
ture could probably be secured to eff
feet the organizations and to impart
connection with the work of raising
corn. And the Lee County Farmers
Union would no doubt gladly help in
forwarding the movement.
The Of the formation Of
these clubs is to arouse a greater in
terest in agricultural pursuits by
stimulating the study of soil, plants.
fertilizers and methods of c~ulttva-
ton. For this purpose each boy who
enters the club Will agree to cultivate
an acre Of corn by the method 10
being advocated by the Farmers Co
Operative Demonstration work in
connection with the State Depart
ment of Agriculture. The work done
through the former department last
year shows by records that the yields
on the demonstration farms were
more than twice as much as the
average on all other farms in the
State. The State Department of Ag-
r~icu1ture has set aside S10O to be di-
Nided into three prizes. to be given
to the three boys in the State max
ing the largest yield of corn per acre
by complying with the rules and
ynrrlo rinoC f,r,icbnl thn,n
The Farmers COOPERATIVE De-
m~onstration work Will furnish good
seed corn to as many Of the boys az
desire i, and will help them in Sc
curing the best known methods of
corn growing. In Mississippi one
buted among the boys in the Corn
Tubs who made the largest yield.
No doubt similar donations could be
secured in this county if the proper
steps were taken. For instance. a
merchant might offer q good pillow
stock. a good harrow, a bag or two
of fertilizer, a hat, an ~overcoat, a
pair of shoes, or anything they might
see fit to offer. 1t certainly behOoves
The patrons and farmers in a school
community to stimulate the work
among the boys by Offering a prize: If
no more than So or SO. The fathers
of the boys who are in the work are
expected to show ON interest in it
by giving the boy all the corn he
can raise on the acre, or otherwise
stimulating him. The plan states
that the boy must cultivate the acre
of corn himself and must not use
more than $40 worth of commercial
fertilizers. Parnyard manures are
not counted in the $40 worth. nor is
the o Of manure limited. The
D of these clubs may be sum
married as follows:
To give the boys something prac-
teal tn the way of AGRICULTURAL edu
cation; to make farm life more inter
eSting. farming more p~rofta pie. anC
thus check the migration of Boys from
the farm to the city, to assist schools
in he teaching of agriculture and
to extend the work of agricultural
college and experiment station; to en-
courage soil study, plant breeding,
best methods of cultivation and fer
tilizers: to teach the coming genera
ton Of farmers to get the best re-
suits from their labor, soil and capita
by doing successful farming.
In this connection there is offered
a splendid opportunity for good WORK
by women's clubs to promote the IN
terest of the domestic and industrial
science among the girls. AS a rule
it is very easy to get the girls inter
ested and they take up the work with
so much enthusiasm that it IS easily
carried on and the results obtained
may be of untold bdnefit. AS a
starter in this movement something
like the following outline is suggest
ed:
Cooking Of corn products; cooking
of wheat products; needle work. in
Guiding plain sewing, embroidery
c~hrocheting. patching, b~utton-hole
and all kinds Of fancy work; proper
housekeeping and house ornaments.
basket work, with raffia reeds, etc:
,yc.o<oI1o ov, ar. fIrxr-op 0ordanino