The Green Forest tribune., 1913-12-12
Number 39
Corn Club Boy Writes.
I'll Pocahontas Star Herald.

From Pocahontas Star Herald.
 In 1912, joined the corn club, but did not know what to do after joined. just wanted to be with the other boys. l cared very little whether raised any corn. or not, as l had to work in the field, anyway, and do what my father said to do. Early this year, Mr. Kizer came down, talked the matter over with Charley and me, and told us about the money we would stand chance to win. As It happened, father was with us, and MT. Kizer asked him if he would not let us have an acre, giving us what we could make on it for our share of the crop. Father agreed to this, and it made me feel good, for he had never done this before. Father told us we could have two acres back of the house. where an old saw mill once stood eight years ago, and that we could have all the prizes We might win, ard all the corn we would raise. joined, signed ba application Mir Kizer len for me to consider and wea after 1t t2 win.
 We. put the hip horse to tae old r plov and broke the land as deep as We could. Then we narrowed t we'll ami kept it puVerzad until time to plant. planted the Jeff Davis" corn, and it dd fine until the hot, dry weather came. Then Mr. Kizer came down and we talked about putting d harrow ill the middIes, following behind with d drag, which we d9.
 Charles and went partners, help ing each other through the balance of the crop. 1 ran the harrow and the drag. Thus we kept a dust mulch in the corn middies to hold the moisture i in the ground and not let it eyaporate. We could see the need of keeping it in l the ground, to mature the corn. When i 1 planted, the corn was from F to 15 inches in the drill, with four foot rows, pumpkins in each third row. When we had laid by the corn, the field looked as though it was all pumpkins. You never saw the like. After the corn began to ripen, did not know how much it would make, but all my neigh bors began to talk about my corn crop looking so fine and theirs willing. Then l 1 thought if they had gone to the trouble that did to use the harrow and drar. they would have hal as good corn as I did.
 One day, Mr. Monday, who was building a house for father, was look ing at my corn, and said it would make close to loo bushels. That made me feel good again. He promised to as sist in measuring the land and to see after the gathering and weighing of the corn.
 The contest was at Pocahontas, Oct ober 20-22 I had my corn gathered and weighed tho guess work) and had one hundred and eight bushels and ten wagon loads of pumpkins. The pump kins brought S25. 1t cost me Sl6.03 to raise the corn and pumpkins, so had all my corn free, and S 91 for my work in the one acre.
 Father said he would stick to what he said in the spring, and could have all the prize money l might win, and all l might raise on the acre II 1 would buy my own clothes That suited me, for counting the corn aC D cents pei bushel, had $91 for the corn and 38. l for my pumpkins after l mad pad ali expenses. l was S639i to the goed. Now 1 can buy my own clothes, and . suit for Dad as well.
 My corn was fine, indeed, and l an well pleased with the success tEat had this year. l wish 1 would never be eighteen years old, for want tt to be q corn club member always
 Russell Benson,
 Manson, Ark