Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-23
RNCLUB WORK
To EXTEND To
NEGRO RACE
Statistics Show Its Members
Manage AZ Per Cent Of Georgia
Farms-Yield Low.
BY WALTER @. COOPER.
(Seerstsry Atlanta Chamber Of Com
nerCe.l

meros.)
So far the Corn Club work hardly
has touched the negro.
There have been a few negro farm
ers trained by demonstration agents
who made fine records but there has
been no extensive organization for
boys or men in the Corn Clubs or
farm demonstration work.
Negroes manage 40 per cent OF the
farm sin Georgia, They cultivate IS
per cent Of improved farm land and
make crops worth $4,000, 600 or $50,
600, 600 a year.
The number Of negro farmers in
Georgia inCrea Sod As per cent in the
lact decade, while the number Of
White farmers Increased only 10 per
cent.
The acreage of improved land Gull
rfvated by negro farmers increased a.,
per cent In the last decade. while that
cultivated by white farmers increased
only 3 per cent.
From this Il would appear that the
proportion Of negro farmers cultfvat-
ing the land Of Georgia Is gaining
rapidly on the proportion of white
farmers.
Negroes Land Most Valuable.
1t will surprise most people TO know
that the value OF land cultivated BY
negro farmers is higher than that
cultivated by white farmers The
census estimates the value Of land
cultivated by negro farmers al S1493
an acre, and that cultivated by white
farmers at 1882
This is a remarkable circumstance.
considering the fact that the white
farmer makes more on an acre Of his
land than the negro. This may be &C
counted for By the fact that the ne
gros equipment IS inferior to the
white mans.
In cotton the white man makes
~ of bale an acre and the negro
81. In corn the white man made
1876, the negro los bushels an acre
in 1910.
There has been a marked increase
in the yield since 1910. but there are
no figures to show whether the negro
has kept up with the white man In
that increase.
OF oats the white man made 1871
bushels the negro 1876 in 1910
OF sweet potatoes the white man
made 1853 bushels, the negro 72.5.
Negroes Building More.
In the past decade buildings on ne
gro farms increased In value Gas per
cent. while buildings on white farms
increased 1876 per cent,
In the same decade the value Of
implements and machinery on the
land of negro farmers increase III per
cent and on the land Of white farmers
10l per cent.
The value Of domestic animals,
poultry and bees increased 21s per
cent In the decade on negro farms
and 1903 per cent ON white farms
While the proportion OF negro farm
aaFa4 dr#4 yes Ia
12.s per cent--it has increased from
1885 n 1900 to .69s in 1910, or 30
per cent. while the increase of own
ership by white farmers has been
from 77154 to $3.50, or rs per cent.
Negroes are in a majority in 6s
Georgia counties and these counties
contain rearly one half the land OF
the State, or about 27,406 square miles
In a total OF 5S.725.
To Extend Club Work.
In view o. these facts. it is very
essential that something be done 10
improve negro farming. 1t is incon
ceivable and would be inexCusahle il
the great benefits of the corn club
work and The farm demonstration
work were not extended to a race
which conducts A. per cent Of the
farms In Georgia
Practically without touching this
race, the improvement in agriculture
has increased the yield of corn about
Is. 0o0. 900 bushels, or about so pei
cent. in five years II the same kind
Of work had gone on among the ne,
groes the increase In the corn croJ
would have been in proportion anC
would have brought the total inCreas,
TO something like 10000, 600 bushels
against $4,000 600
For this reason the corn show com
mittee will give serious considera
ton to this question The matter
viii be taken up with J. Phil Camp
bell. State agent OF the corn clubs
Mr. Campbell is known to favor tn,
extension