The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-03-04
BOYS CORN CLUB
MORE THAN THREE THOUSAND
MEMBERS ENROLLED.

Over 1000 Boys on South Carolina
Farms Last Year Made an Average
of Over 65 Bushels to the Acre.
Mr.. Ira w. Williams, State agent
for South Carolina for the United
States Farm Demonstration work,
says there were over 5000 members
enrolled in the School Boys Corn
clubs of South Carolina last year,
and of that number more than 1000
members made report Of the yield
and manner of culture on their acre
of corn, the others failed to report
from the mistaken idea that If they
had not made record breaking
yield Of corn, they would not be ex-
pected to report. Of these more than
1000 none reported yields less than
SO bushels and the great majority of
them came near the rs bushel mark.
These boys have almost to man, by
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work, enrolled for this year, and with
the proper work, may be reasonably
expected to increase their yield as
much as Is bushels.
1t is noteworthy that the 319 high
est yields reported averaged over, 81
bushels Der acre. Of this number,
one raised 22S, one made 1T, six
made $50, 100 made 100 bushels and
more than 200 made rs bushels per
acre. None of the remaining 2,7O0
reporting made less than so bushels,
and the majority Of them just missed
the IS bushel mark. Averaging the
whole it is seen that more than 1000
boys on South Carolina farms last
year made an average OF over s.
bushels to the acre.
When it is remembered that the
average corn yield for the State for
the past ten years has been d littlH
over IA bushels per acre, it will be
realized that the boys corn clubs
have done a wonderful thing: and
the best of it all, said Mr.. Williams
! is the fact that wherever you find
one of these boys with his wonderful
yield of corn, you find center of in
tense interest in the modern manner
of making the land produce what 1t
is capable of, instead of permitting
it to give back only a mod.cnro of
the fruit that it should yield.
In thirty-six counties of the State
last year there were farmers acting
as agents of the government in the
work of arousing the farmers Of the
county to the better plan of raising
corn. Each one of these agents was
successful farmer, owning his own
farm, and living strictly on 1t lie
could not live in town, and he had
to make his own farm model farm.
These men, said Mr.. Williams, were
practically commissioners Of agricul-
ture, one in each Of the thitty-siX
counties, and each had from AZ to
100 farms under his inspection and
supervision The result in the ma
iority of the cases was wonderful.
There was such modernizIng or
farm methods in those sections that
the oldest inhabitants almost doubt
ed their own eyes.
Not corn, only, but all the various
products which the soil and climate
of South Carolina so freely produces,
was raised on these demonstration
farms. The forage crops were given
especial attention.; and the raising
Of those things that really go to
making the farmer independent, such
as potatoes, both kinds, peas, and
small fruits, were encouraged, not
to say required. Some Of the farms
made wonderful demonstrations or
what farmer can raise at home,
and at the same time he building up
his land, and increasing his acreage,
and his production per acre.
The common vegetables Of the
kitchen garden were raised In abun-
dance, both for home consumption,
and for sale in the nearby markets
both in their fresh state and canned
or dried. 1t is grand fact that
thousands of farmers in the State,
are this winter feasting on the pro-
ducts of their farms, where herfto-
fore they have existed on the bought
bread and meat of the western farm
ar Thev are living in diversified
abundance.
Besides these small demonstration
farms and local agents Of the gov
ernment the agricultural department
maintains under strict supervision
large demonstration farms in the DIFF"
ferent sections of the State. Prof.
ably the most important Of these at
this time, is the Hitchcock farm In
Aiken county. On this farm net only
the practical and scientific mod arn
farming is taught, in so far as it re-
lates to agriculture. but all the al
lied lines Of the farmers business
are shown in the latest and most sue
cessful ways of modern farming.
On the Hitchcock farm is one OF
the most modern hygienic COW, and
dairy barns in the country. Here the
dairy herd is kept under the closest
inspection, and every item in the
production Of milk and butter is
carefully weighed in the balance Of
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