Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-06-17
DAILY HINTS ON
FARM TOPICS
Boys and Girls Contests.
By X. A. Kirkpatrick

1ucTc 10 SCuASoly yOuA6oJOk
the country who is not interested in
growing something that is his very
own. Sometimes he gets his father
to let him have calf, colt, pig, or
some other kind OF livestock, which
he may call his own for time. The
sad thing about this is that SO often
the father gives the boy the colt or
calf. and 1t remains the boys colt or
calf, but grows up to be dads horse
or cow. The father sells the animal
and forgets that the boy had at least
a small ownership in 1t. This Is one
of the surest ways to discourage boy
life on the farm. ..
Every effort should be put forth by
the grown people this season to in
terest the boys and. girls In some
form Of farm activity. II an animal
has been given as suggested, the boy
or girl should be- required to take
care OF this animal faithfully, to
keep a record of the work done. car
ing for 1t, and the feed given. When
the animal is sold, he should receive
the profit on the investment, such
sum to be placed to the bank account
o. the child. The father or mother
should direct the child in accumulat-
ing a small savings account, and in
the spending OF any or all Of II. 1t
is one of the surest ways Of teaching
thrift and OF driving home the les
sons of farm life. At the same time
there is no surer way to interest tho
child in farm work than to give him
part of the profits from the farm
operations. There are scores upon
scores OF farm boys and girls who
have been driven away from the
farm, because they were never invit-
ed to share in the profits Of the farm.
but were expected to be always pres
ent when tho hard work was done.
The boy or girl who contemplates go
ing to college in later life, or who
plans to attend q high school, will
appreciate the money which goes in
to his or her education and will use
it more intelligently II he or she has
earned it or saved It In tho manner
suggested above.
In this connection. the parents OF
Muscatine county boys and girls
could do no better thing to interest
them In farming and to drive home
the lessons of prof1t-making, than to
encourage them to enter into the
Toys and girls corn and poultry con-
tests which are being .furthered by
the county superintendent Of schools
In co-opration with the Crop Inn
provement association this year.
Only two lines Of work are being TAX
on up this year, namely, corn-grow-
Ing and poultry-growing. 1t Is hoped
that the results gotten this year will
Justify the extension Of the scope Of
the work next year, and contests
dealing with sewing, cooking, vegeta-
ble-growing, potato-raising and 9TH
er features, may be undertaken. The
cost to the child to 60 into any OF
these contests Is insignificant, and
embraces only the cost OF securing
the eggs for growing the poultry or
the seed for growing the corn. OF
course, there is some time required
In making few reports and in keep
ing records on the operations. How
ever, no one should be discouraged
because of this feature. One of the
places where farming Is scoring
failure is in the lack OF business
methods, as shown by no records be-
ing kept on the farms and no definite
knowledge Of profits shown upon tho
operations with the fields or stock.
The records and reports which are
esked for in this contest wo.k simply
lead the child to see that all opera
lions on the farm should lead to
profit in the end, and there Is still
plenty OF time within week or ten
days to enter the contest. Any who
have not yet had the contest work
explained to them, may receive de-
tails and further instructions By
writing the county superintendent or
he agricultural advisor.