The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-28

Ing the government has oil Its roll eigh-
ty thousand Southern boys, each OF
whom is now cultivating one acre Of
| corn under government directions.
These boys are In seven or eight hun
dred different counties, covering all
the States of the South
They belong tc earn clubs which have
been organized in various localities
and are working for prizes offered by
Inc bankers, merchants, boards of
trade, county clubs and public spirited
individuals OF their neighborhoods.
They are also working for the prize
given to the best boy corn raiser OF
their respective States. con sisting OF a
diploma from the Department OF Agri-
culture and free trip to washington
where they may spend week. and see
the President and Congress and the in
teresting features OF our National Capt.
tai. The prizes given to such boys by
the localities last year amounted TO
$40, 600 and more. They will probably
be twice that this year. They consist
OF cash farm implements. ponies. pigs.
bicycles, watches, guns, books and
everything which will tend to gladden.
a boys heart and make him work
The number of Southern boys com
petins in 1910 was, according to the
government rolls 1925 Each of
these planted an acre of corn and
worked 1t under government directions.
producing crops which staggered their
respective communities. In Mississippi,
where the average corn crop last wear
was less than e.wenty bushels per acre.
forty eight OF these boys raised OH tho
average ninety-two bushels per acre.
In one county OF South Carolina, which
State has an average per acre Of less
than nineteen bushels. twenty boys
produced 100 bushels OF corn on
twenty acres, and 40 boys averaged
siNty.two bushels The governors OF
the different Southern States arc now
giving diplomas of honor to all boy
corn raisers who can show crop OF
seventy-fve bushels per acre. and at
the national corn show at Columbus
last fall an automobile was presented
to the boy who had raised the most
and best corn on one acre at the lowest
cost. A
How n Boy Won nE Automobile.
The automobile was awarded to
Stephen G. Henry. who produced 1895
bushels of corn on one acre mt a cost
OF 1876 cents per bushel. Stephen
comes from Mehose. La, Hc is tho
youngest OF five boys of q family. and
he has been raising corn for three
years by the government directions.
He has won number of premiums,
and last year he received a gold watch
from the governor and also d pig, two
sheep. S25 in gold and n diploma TIN
club to which he belongs contains 200
members and Stephens brother is also
a prize winner.
give you In brief the way Ste
phcn raised his last crop OF corn. lie
broke the ground In the fall. blowing
1t eight inches deep. He turned the
soil again in March and went over 1t
with pillow and harrow until 1t was
thoroughly fine He put on two tons
of stable manure at that time and then
planted the corn. This was on the II tn
of March. The seed sprouted all right
but part OF the crop froze, and he
had to replant May 90. After that the
corn was cultivated again and again
with hoe and cultivator. all the suck
ers being pulled from the hills When
he laid the corn by he planted cow
peas between tho rows to increase the
fertility of the land for the next year
The corn was harvested. shelled aud
weighed, and at hfty-six pounds to tho
bushel II measured 1858 bushels.
The Question OF Cost.
But this yield woud not have given
stephen the prize. There were many
boys who raised more. There were
one hundred who belonged 10 the
corn clubs OF tho South who made an
average Of 1881 blrhels per ncrc In