The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-03-08
LEARN MUCH At CORN SHOW.

Bentley Mackay Tells of Wonderful
Week Spent by Corn and Pig
Club Boys at International Corn
Exposition-Trip instructive and
interesting.
Bentley Mackay, a student of the
Oak Grove agricultural high school
at Hope Villa, writes the following
interesting account Of his trip to, the
Fifth international Corn Exposition
at Columbia, S. c.:
81 left home Friday, Jan. "a. and
went to New Orleans with Mr.. Rich
ardson, Mr.. Balls, and Mr.. Kidder.
When we reached New Orleans Mr..
Balls went to meet one of the boys
who came in on the Illinois Central.
Miss Elizabeth Kelley, who came to
New Orleans ahead Of us, had charge
of some of the boys also. We spent
a few hours sightseeing and then
we went to the Hotel Monteleone,
where we spent the night.
1--WE arose early the next morning
and went direct to the L. & N. de-
pot, where we took our train, which
left at S:15. When We got settled
and had had time to get acquainted
the party was found to consist of
Mr. E. S. Richardson, Miss Kelley
and Mr.. Kidder, all instructors at
L. S. u; Virgil Vernon, Of Tangi-
pahoa; William Wardlaw, of Natchi-
toches; Burl Ellis, Of Livingston; Ivy
Courtney, of Livingston, and myself,
from Ascension. Mr.. Balls came
with us only as far as New Orleans.
1--WE were in the best of spirits
and interested ourselves by gazing
at the passing scenery, which, as
we left New Orleans, was nothing
but immense areas of uninha bitable
marsh lands, great deal Of which
is being used by the state as a game
preserve. But as we zneared the Mis-
sissippi border the ground became
higher and more sandy, and pines
We're to be seen on every side, and
as we followed the gulf coast through
Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Gulf
port, Biloxi and Mobile, where we
had occasional glmpses OF the gulf,
We boys found nlany things to in
terest sls sslIaffI
came.
We reached Montgomery, Ala,
about 7::30 p. M. and then branehed
off onto the Southern Railway We
passed through opelika, my instruct
or's (W. C. AbbotI) home town, about
$3.50, and reached Atlanta, Ga, about
s o'clock the next morning.
The land became higher and more
sandy all the way from the southern
part of Alabama, and when we reach
ed Atlanta the country was really
mountainous, which was something
new to us boys of the low lands.
eve reached Columbia, S. c., Sun
day morning, Jan. rs, and were con-
Quoted at once to the fair grounds,
where a good dinner awaited us.
We were assigned good places to
sleep, in a large building, especially
for the boys. slept next to boys
from Florida, Alabama, South Caro-
lima, and Virginia. When we enter
ed the grounds we were placed un-
der military discipline, and We're
formed into companies, each com
pany provided with a captain who
was supposed to report to the author
tiles if any Of the boys disobeyed the
rules.
And so we settled to spend a
wonderful week in the boys school
at the Fifth international Corn Expo
sition
Following was the daily routine of
duties: Arise $50, breakfast 7:15,
chapel 10 to 12, dinner 1890, speak
ing 2 to 3, and from 8 to 5 was
given to the study of the exhibits in
the agricultural building.
SAT p. m. on Jan. % all of the
boys, who numbered about 800, pa
raded through the streets of the bust
ness section of Columbia, behind an
enormous float entitled King Corn
There were many other floats in the
parade, all artistically decorated.
The agricultural exhibits were
very interesting and educational.
There were exhibits from all of
the eastern, central and southern
eight, to be exact,
not counting the state depart
luSnLS OE agriculture anu eAHlUlbS ny
the United States Department of Ag--
riculture
There was much to be learned by
the boys if they visited each booth
personally and conversed with the
men in charge, who We're always will
ing and glad to explain to us.
BY comparing the southern pro-
duets with those of the north We
could see the advantages and disad-
vantages of agriculture in the north
and south. We could compare the
different varieties of corn, potatoes,
oats, wheat, and. in fact, everything
grown extensively in the entire Unit
ed States.
sIn the South Carolina exhibit
there was a good illustration OFF how
the turkey buzzard carries infectious
diseases, such as cholera, charbon,
etc. There were also pieces of dis
eased animals exhibited to give the
boys an idea how each disease affect
ed an animal.
THE United States Department Of
Forestry showed how the nation is
: roI