The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-02
Clemson Extension Work-ArtieIe XIII.

In an address upon Gne OCCdsloH v!
the meeting of the Farmers Congress
held at Clemson College during the first
two days of September of this year. the
Hon. E. J. Watson gave some figures on
corn that are well worth the study OF
the farmers of the south.
The average yield of corn per acre
has increased in South Carolina from
7 bushels in 1900 to 1877 bushels in 1909,
as against 81 bushels in 1900 and 35.9
bushels in 1909 in Illinois. In farm
value per acre South Carolina corn has
increased from 4.4s to 1908 in a Ike
period as against 11.S4 and 1857 TOR a
like period in Illinois. In farm value
per bushel the Carolina has increased
from "a cents in 1900 to 81 cents in l909
as against 80 and 80 cents in Illinois.
If the Illinois farmer can raise corn'and
grow rich at these values how. mucn
better opportunity have the farmers OF
the south to do even better.
In addition to the corn we raised
last year we spent six million dollars
for corn. and corn products, a great
deal of which was of very questionable
feed value. The man who sold US this
corn and the railroads together cleared
80 cents a bushel or nearly three and a
half million dollars. W. can produce
corn as cheap or cheaper per bushel
than this same corr cost to produce; so
we not only paid out this profit, but
lost the additional profit from the
growing. Then too had this corn been
grown here all of that six million dol
lore uon1d have remained here as a
permanent asset.
That these facts are being realized
by the farmers of the South Is ev1
denced by the steady increased average
planted to corn and the increased yield
per acre. We are learning that it not
only pays to plant more corn, but also
to give that crop better cultivation and
attention than we have heretofore done.
We are also beginning to realize that
while cultivation and fertilization are
important factors in determining our
yield, yet the factor of blood and In
heritance also play no small part.
With this knowledge has come a closer
attention to the detail of corn raising
and breeding. But while in the South
a number of men have been giving
these points, thought and work, yet to
a large extent each has worked along
independent lines. Each man has tried
to- hew an independent road to success
for himself, forgetting that much more
rapid progress could be made if he join
ed with his neighbors and all pulled
together. The worst fault that the
average farmer has is this very thing
of going it alone. He breaks his land
with a single horse, does all of his cul-
tivation with the single horse and one
furrow and pulls his crop to market
with his one horse. He has become
so accustomed to the one horse idea
that he himself has never learned to
work in double harness. AS 1T Will pay
him in breaking his land to combine
with his neighbor and pillow double, SO
it will pay to combine with some neigh
Dor in this effort to increase his corn
production. 1t was with the idea OF
,affording an opportunity of this
doubling-up process that the South
Atlantic Corn Exposition, to be held in
Columbia, S. c., December & to 8 in
elusive, has been planned. Steps were
taken to this end last spring at the time
of the meeting of the Corn Breeders
Association, when the State Legislature
was asked to assist such an enterprise
and responded literally by an appro-
priation of one thousand dollars.
In making this appropriation there
was but one string tied to it and that
was that fonr thousand more should be
raised by other means. This same Act
placed this fund under the control of a
board, consisting of the State Com
missioner of Agriculture, the President
of the Corn Breeders Association, the
Director of the Agricultural Depart
ment of and the Superintendent OF the
Extension Division of Clemson College.
This board organized by the election
of Mr.. A. D. Hudson, President of the
Corn Breeders Association, as Presi-
dent. Public spirited men both at
home and abroad were appealed to for
help and nobly have they responded.
The one thousand dollaas with which
the exposition was started has grown
until now there is the magnificent sum
Of ten thousand dollars offered in
prizes. Not content with helping
South Carolina alone the exposition
has been expanded until it now includes
the two ne%ighboring states of Georgia
and North Carolina. Liberal premiums
are offered for the best corn OF different