Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-13
BEST CORN RA|SERS
Eleven Southern Boys Who
Win in Competition.
KNOW HOW TO GET YIELD
Result of Experiments Under Direc-
ton of Department of Agriculture.
OBJECT LESSON FURNISHED
Those Who Excel Given Trip to Ma
tional Capital-others Get
Lesser Rewards.
KNOW HOW TO GET YIELD
OBJECT LESSON FURNISHED

Eleven boys from as many southern
states. each boy with an ear Of corn in
his hand, posed for picture in front
Of the big building o. the Agricultural
Department today. They represented the
top Swimming Of an army of over 5000
boys; for they were the state prize win
ners in the boys corn club contest of
the year. In each of the states repre-
scented boys had worked each a measured
acre Of land planted in corn. The best
yield in each state had taken the first
prize and the boys, none of whom was
over sixteen, were on a trip to WASH
ington, where they were to be introduced
to the President and the Secretary of
Agriculture and then be shown the sights
of the city.
Object Lesson in South.
1t was the elimination of the years
work, work the importance of which
can scarcely be overestimated because it
has already awakened the south to the
knowledge that 1t can raise corn and
make money by 1t. The older farmers are
being startled by the way the boys are
beating them and the corn club idea
is having material effect on the corn
production Of the whole south
The successful boys FROM each state
we're not always the ones that had raised
the biggest crops. The Department Of
Agriculture, in outlining the contest,
made it requisite that the largest crop
should be raised with the least expendi-
tu1e. The high score in the whole group
was made by a boy from S,uth Calo-
lima. But he was not considered the
most successful. He had raised 2zSA
bushels, but it had cost him 43 cents a
bushel to do it. There was boy from
Arkansas who raised only 119 bushes,
but he did it at a cost of 8 cents q
bushel He was considered the real thing
in corn clubdom.
Method of Increasing Yield.
1t gives more significance to the fig
ures of the corn club yields when it is
understood that the states repr> senteu
have been running along with state av-
erages OF from fourteen to twenty BUSH
els of corn to the acre. When it was
shown year ago that with the same
expenditure of money, but by follow ing
departmental methods in seed selection
and cultivation. yields of f.oln fifty to
LOO bushels were possible, the farmers be-
gan to take notice. Last year there were
12,UOO boys in the various state COME
titions. This year there were 6,22J. Next
year the Department Of Ag. icuiture prob
ably will be showed unuer with COM
petitors.
Beside the trips to Washington for the
state winners this year prizes totaling
$4,000 were given This was not gov
eminent money. Merchants, bankers and
other philosophical men in the south Of
fered all sorts of things, cash, farm inn
plements, trips ponies. pigs bicycles,
watches and other things such as boys
would work hardest for.
Government agents, school teachers
and county officers co-operated in FORM
ing clubs in nearly GOO counties. The
names and addresses of members of the
cubs were filed with DR.. S. A. Knapp, in
charge of the farm demonstration work
for the department. The boys studied
seed selection In the winter. soil compo-
sition, fertilizers and the circulars on
the preparation of the seed bed and sub
seauont cultivation which We're mailed
from the department. They plowed their
ground from eight to sixteen inches deep
and cleaned stables and chicken houses
for manure and cleaned up the farm for
wood ash and humus.
How and Why Explained.
The boys were shown not only how
but why corn needed the attention they
were giving it. The county officials and
The prizes were given for high YIELD
low cost, the ten best ears and a writ
ten history of the crop.
The governors of the states also took an
active interest in the competitions. and
instead of four diplomas OF merit award
Ell by the Secretary Of Agriculture tn re
We're certificates given by che governors
to all boys in the state who raised seven
ty-five bushels an acre and over at a rea-
sonable cost. The reasonable cost was
figured from the market price OF corn.
There was one boy in the competition
who by his corn crop and the prizes won
realized over $1,000 off his acre.
1t was a common occurrence for 800 to
LOCO people to witness the awards of fif
teen or twenty certificates at county
seat. In one Mississippi county forty
eight boys averaged ninety-two bushels
per acre. In one South Carolina county
twenty boys produced LOO bushels OF
corn on twenty acres. In another county
in the same state 142 b Us averaged
sixty-two bushels per acre.
This work is having much to do with
the increased averages Of the southern
states in corn production. 1t will have
something to do with reducing the cost
Of living also.
Winners OF Washington Trip.
The following are the names and ad-