The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-16
CORN EXPOSITION.
MUCH INTEREST TAKEN In EN-
HIBITION IN COLUMBIA IN
FALL.
Large Prizes Offered-SOuthern
States Show Desire to Cooperate In
Making 1t a Success.

much to Columbia and South Caro-
lima. The plans for the exposition
are being perfected and $4,000 in
prizes will be given. The legislature
will give $1,000 provided an addition
al $4,000 is secured. A committee is
now working on the plans for the
prizes.
The exposition will not only be
Statewide affair, but every State in
the South will be asked to participate.
Within the past several years there
has been a marked development in
the production Of corn in the South
and the exposition will be held to
show what has been done to encour-
age the farmers for the future. The
United States departn snt of agri-
culture will assist in avery way in
making the exposition = success.
Gov. Ansel thinks that the exposi-
tion Is a most excellen- plan for the
Improvement Of farm conditions in
the State and South. The exposition
also has the endorsement of the South
Carolina Live Stock association, the
Corn Breeders association, and the
Columbia Chamber Of Commerce and
many business men.
All farmers in South Carolina
and the other States Of the South
who grow corn are invited to send
their exhibits. The exhibits of the
Corn Breeders association, the Boys
corn club Of the State. will be shown.
Every corn grower entering exhibits
will have a chance at the different
prizes. Several corn experts will at
tend the exposition and corn insti-
tute will be in progress at the same
time and lectures will be given on
corn growing, breeding and cultivat-
ion.
The corn crop of last year was 81
900, 900 bushels greater than in 1908.
This incresase went on the market at
approximately $S,000,000. Commiss-
ioner Watson in his annual report
has the following to say concerning
the corn crop of the State.
THE United States government
figures OF November on corn crop
alone. which only three years ago
amounted In bushels to only about
17,500,000, was increased in 1907 by
over 100000 bushels. and again In
1908 by about S.5OO,OO0, being in
that year 29,229.0OO. This year the
corn crop Is already 37,041, 900 BUSH
els, and SS per cent. IN quality, a
quality nearly per cent above that
for the United States, and only a
little less than the highest average
which is SS.s per cent for the North
Central States. east of the Mississippi
This Is an actual increase in one
year Of practically 100000 bushels.
and nearly 20.O0O,00O in four years
And 1t has been the direct result Of
the introdutioa OF proper cultural
methods and agitation by the feder-
al and State governments In cooper
alton. But those figures, as strong as
they are, and as indicative as they
are of the capabilities of the soil and
climate conditions, don't tell the
whole Of the significant story. In
all the strictly South Atlantic States
the 1909 corn crop shows an increase
Of only 13,154.200 bushels, and of
this total the smallest State Of them
all shows 100000 bushels, only s.
100000 representing all others. In
the year also South Carolina shows
100000 Of the $685. 900 bushels in
crease shown In the nations crop, or
little over 1-12th. The real signi-
hcance comes In the increase yield
per acre. In the whole United States
there was a decrease between 1908
and 1909 Of g Of bushel per acre.
In the South Central States a de-
cnease Of 4.6 bushels; and in the
North Central States, west Of the
Mississippi, a decrease of 8 of a
bushel. In the North Central States
west Of the Mississippi, there was an
increase Of as bushels per acre. and
In the South Atlantic States Of i of
bushel. In South Carolina the in
crease was 2.6 bushels per acre over
1908, and practically six bushels per
acre over her 10-year average yield
per acre. The work of increasing
the corn yield per acre has, too, only
just gotten under full sway. Farm
demonstration work was begun only
three years ago, and not a farm un-
der that work has shown a yield Of
less than 80 bushels; this year they
are running from 35 to 13O bushels
and one 1S-year-old boy has record