Evening journal., 1914-10-28
URGING BOYS now
TO GROW PEANUTS
Department Of Agriculture
Spreads Idea That Comes
From Virginia
BOY SCOUTS IN
APPLE BUSINESS
Br The Tn.ted press.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 2s.-Peanut
clubs, composed Of boys, are being or
ganizcd by The Department Of Agricul-
ture throughout the country to promotcl
the raising Of peanuts. The idea came
from southern Virginia, where clubs
were formed this year with such salts
factory results that the department is
making every effort TO extend the or
ganization elsewhere.
During the next season il is hoped to
organize peanut clubs in the Carolinas,
Georgia. Florida, Mississippi. Alabama,
Louisiana, Texas, oklahoma, Arkansas,
Virginia and Tennessee, these States
containing most of the peanut raising
country Of the United States.
Substantial prizes have been offered
by peanut butter companies to encour.
age the organizations. The basis OF
award is an exhibit of a peck of clean
peanuts with a history of the crop as
IL was raised and a statement OF the
yield and the profit Each boy works
on an acre of ground and the market
value of hay also obtained from the
acre is counted in with the rest of the
profit.
The peanut clubs which have been or
ganized in eight counties in Southern
Virginia are similar TO the departments
corn clubs. The age limit for members
Is from 10 to Is years. as IL is in the
rorn clubs Tho young members Of the
Virginia clubs commenced work in
June. Many of those who prepared the
seed bed thoroughly, planted their pea
nuts at the proper time, and gave them
good cultivation, secured GOOD stand
and are assured a good harvest. Even
those who do not win prizes will have
their valuable crops and their expert
cnce as compensation. While this work
is going on in the South, the depart
mcnt is also advocating the formation
of apple clubs in the Northern States,
especially in the New England States,
New York, New Jersey Delaware, Penn
sylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Idaho, Mon
tana, Oregon and Washington The
clubs will be organized along the lines
of the corn clubs and young people in
terestcd are urged to write the Depart
ment Of Agriculture to obtain instruc-
tions.
The Boy Scouts Of Cortland n. Y,
have rented an entire apple orchard and
are planning TO market the good fruit
and TO can all the windfall apples. The
orchard. which has been rented for
three years, contains l65 trees, most of
them in good bearing.
Under the leadership of one Of the
agriculture departments agents and the
local scout master, the boys have
pledged themselves TO prunc, spray anc
cultivate the orchard; TO grade, crate
and find a market for all fresh apples
and 20 save all possible waste by can
ming the windfails SO that the enter
prise win yield maximum returns. Tn
boys have erected temporary building
as headquarters for the equipment
where they may also change clothing
and grade, crate and pack the fruit.
There is going to be an abundance ol
white grubs in lal5-more than in 1915
when they caused millions of dollars OF
damage to crcps-according to warn.
ing circular Just issued by the Depart.
ment of Agriculture. This Statement
Is based on the fact that the June bugs
this year were unusually numerous in
northeastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin,
northern Illinois. parts of Minnesota
southern Michigan, northern Ohio
northeastern Pennsylvania and parts OF
Connecticut ana New Jersey.
The white grub preys on the roots OF
corn, timothy. potatoes and strawber
ries Il IS Of The greatest Importance
the departments specialists say, thai
farmers properly handle their fields th
fan and next spring to prevent a repeti
tion Of the enormous losses occasione'
in 1912.
a warning to alfalfa growers to avoi
the use OF commercial TurSestan see
IS contained in a Department of Agi
culture bulletin Just issued.
specialists of the Department hay
been investigating the comparative mel
its Of different kinds of alfalfa seed
and have reached the conclusion tina
there is nothing to recommend IN