Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1913-11-21
olD-1lME HusklNe BEE.
Revival to Establish County Type Of
Corn, Show Skill in Husking,
and Manner in Which Seed
Ears Should Be Hung !
Up to Dry.

A county type of corn should be
selected Seed committees of an or
ganized county or volunteer one
where no County Farm Bureau ex-
lists should get together at once, call
ing meeting of the best farmers and
pick the county type, taking into con-
sideration length of season, yield of
existing varieties, shape of ear, depth
of kernel, size of ear, etc. By max
ing fun out of the work it can best
be impressed in community in
shape of a husking bee. y
Such bee was held in Will Coun-
ty, Illinois, by the Channahon Town
ship Club, on Saturday night, Octo-
Der Is, on the farm of William Beth,
who is big live stock breeder. His
sales ring was fitted up with baled
straw arranged amphitheater style.
The center was scattered with straw.
The competitors worked in teams
of two, the judge making sure that
each team had one hundred ears. One
member of the committee had stop
watch and he was made time keeper.
The person sitting next to each team
was appointed monitor in order to
claim Judgment for his team.
After the first team had finished
husking all others were required to
complete their husking to participate
in other events to follow. First and
second prizes in shape of blue and
red ribbons were awarded. Eleven
teams competed, some being boys,
some young men, some old men, and
two teams of young man and a
young lady each. Rivalry was keen
and the fun was at high pitch at all
times.
After the husking contest the coun-
ty type, which had previously been
selected by the County Agent and
seed committee, was then produced
and brief description made why it
best filled the needs of the county
Questions were permitted and an
swered in order to have each one
present thoroughly understand and
be in sympathy with the most impor-
tant feature. sr~
The second contest was for each
team to find the ear which most close.
ly approximated the county type. The
team finding the nearest to the county
type was awarded first prize. Second
prize was also given.
The third contest of the evening
was to hang up string of ten ears
of corn by the binder Irvine method.
Each team selected ten good ears,
had their Irvine ready and started on
the count Their contest was won in
ten seconds. A second ribbon was
also awarded. In addition to the rib
bons the club also put up $500, which
was divided among the winners.
A fiddler played old-time country
tunes to enliven the occasion. Fol-
lowing this. the ladies of the club
served sandwiches, cake and coffee to
more than one hundred and fifty peo-
pie present Practically all the farms
of the township were represented aid
six auto loads came from Joliet. In
stead of people of this community
coming to the town for all their recre-
alton, the tables are turned and the
town people are. coming to the coun-
try for part Of theirs. - >
sc At the next husking bee, which will
be held in an adjoining township.
they expect also to give Sam 1lI1e.
Arrangements are being made in this
county to hold a husking bee by each
81 the twentv-three township clrha