Arizona sentinel and Yuma weekly examiner., 1914-10-15
FOR APPLE CLUES


 and the department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the agricultural col leges of Northern and Western states is interesting the boys and girls of apple-growing sections in the possi- bilities of apple culture as profitable and pleasurable occupation. The or ganization for the young people on the form are being planned and be- gun in the New England States, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Penn sylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Mon tana, Oregon and Washington. Any young people in these states wishing to find out the details of the new ap- ple-raising clubs should write at once to the state agent in charge of the club work at the state college of agri- culture or the United sates Depart ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. c.
 | The new clubs will be organized on the same lines as are those for the encouragement of potato, corn and al falfa growing, gardening and canning, and poultry raising. Members must be not under 10 nor over IS years old. Each of the club members will be al- lotted not less than 10 apple trees, 6 or more years old, in the same or chard (and all in one row or block if possible) of which he will have the exclusive care for one year. Each club must have at least , members, and these will be under the instruction | of a local leader will receive inStruc- tions from the state leader in charge or the county agent. Following these instructions the young member who knows nothing about apple raising will ] learn to pick grade, crate and market apples; also to can and label fruit | for exhibition and for sale The in structions will aim to show each C, these young people how he may get the maximum results from his ten | trees with the minimum expenditure of labor.
 AS in the other clubs for boys and | girls cooperating with the department practical prizes will be awarded by local fairs and interested people to those who excel. The best prize, how ever, will be experience and a net profit on investment to each member. Club agents are already at work making enrollments for the new apple clubs. During October and November the plats will be selected and assigned to the individual members, and the trees will be marked to show to whom they are assigned. As soon as the present apple crop is gathered, prepa- ratio>s will begin at once for the next year. Some trees may need fall prun- ing, cleaning cut, and mulching. These details vii be attended to, and the young people may be instructed in the best methods.
 During the winter interest will be kept up through the local club organ iZatiOns and meetings The leaders will visit the plats of each of the mem bers to give specific instruction. And early in the spring records will be in order and each club member will be shown how he may keep a simpi> account of the progress of his row or trees. During the next summer vaca ton the work will be at it's height, and the boys and girls who are perse- vering will not only learn much valu- able information but may make a sub- stantial profit on the time and labor they have invested.
 Fall will be the occasion of apple club fairs and festivals. At ,nl~e events there will be exhibits of all kinds of apples and apple machinery, devices used for handling both fresh and cooked apples, of food products prepared from apples, of canning equipment, crates and barrels. Dem onstrations will be given at these fes- tivals of how to pare and core apples, how to can useless windfall apples, how to make apple jellies, butter ano pickles; how to grade, crate and pack apples, etc.
 In awarding the prizes for the yea. many features will be considered; how the trees are pruned, whether they are free from blight and plant ice, how the soil has been worked, the size, color and condition of the fruit, and methods of packing will all count in the final reckoning. One of the most important considerations is how much profit the club member has netted from his investment. In the | last analysis that is the final test of his success.