The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-03
CHILDREN AND CHICKENS;
POULTRY RAISING PAYS
Uncle Sam Started the Boys and Giris'
Poultry Clubs in vfr-
Rinfa.
GOOD SPREADING TO OTHER STATE
Government Agent Teaches the Young
Sters, and They Get Their Parents
ACCOMPLISHMENTS New Asset.

The boys and girls poultry clubs In
Virginia are growing in numbers. In
efficiency and In value to the farming
interest. 1t was little less than two
Years ago that the Agricultural De-
partment or tho United States govern
ment inaugurated the work of de-
vcloplng, through the rising genera
ton. the poultry interest on the farms
oil the South. and with q very small
appropriation for a starter commenced
the work in this State. j. W. King
horne, one Of the best men for the
business I'm the department, was sent
to Virginia to organize boys and girls
poultry clubs and TO demonstrate the
modern methods OF poultry raising
Mr.. Kinghorne was located at Burke.
Vile. in Nottoway County, and COM
'nenced his work about eighteen
months ago under rather unfavorablt
conditions The old time farmers and
their wives, many of whom thought
they knew IL all, and that no we'll.
dressed young man from Uncle Sam.
Washington Offices could tell them
anything about chicken raisin." were
more than skeptical: but Mr.. King
horne was not at all discouraged and
commenced to work on the boys and
girls. forming few clubs In nearby
counties and instructing them along
all lines OF poultry raising.
Good Work Done.
Before the summer OF 1913 was gone
eleven clubs had been organized in the
counties OF Dinwiddie. Nottoway and
Halifax. the total membership being
200. Every boy and girl In the clubs
pledged hemselves to follow instruc-
tons. and their success was wonder
ful. Now there are forty-four clubs
in Virginia, With membership OF
something over COO in the following
countless: Nottoway, Dinwiddie. Hall
fax, Albemarie. Clarke, Rockingham.
Henrico. Allegheny. Besides these
are few independent clubs in the
counties OF Bedford, Shenandoah and
Russell, which were started and are
being Instructed and overlooked by
public school teachers In those local
tiles.
While these independent clubs are
not directly under the supervision OF
the department, they were organized
by the teachers at Mr.. kinghorne's
suggestion, and are being Instructed
according TO the rules and methods
of the department.
AS stated above, this work among
the boys and girls was started In Vfr-
ginia by the government and 1T has
proven to be such shining success
n much larger appropriation has beer
obtained by the department, and this
year the work is being inauguratet
and clubs being organized in Nortl
Carolina. South Carolina. Kentucky
and Terncssee. and they are taking
we'll The total enrolment Of cluf
members, including Virginia is al.
ready a little over 1900. and the work
is just in it's tiniest infancy.
Reaching the Old Folks.
The good effect of this work is far
reaching. as can be seen In any neigh
borhood where the clubs are ut work
In such a neighborhood one now see:
on nearly every farm one variety OF
pure bred chickens, usually the gen.
eral purpose " pc: no more do we OBJ.
serve the promiscuous interminglinc
OF every kind of low bred fowl One
also can but be struck with the very
ccany improved poultry houses and
with the fact that the farmers and
their wives. who at first were disposed
10 be old foCviah, and skeptical as to
the good of Uncle SAINTS work, are
now taking vast interest. some OF
them hcing among the leaders. They
are marketing their eggs in flrst-class
style as taught by Mr.. Kinghorne,
paying particular attention to uni
formity and cleanliness. They are
also keeping books and learning for
have been taught to use are paying,
AMI they are finding that 1t does pay.
The mere discovery of this fact Is n
valuable asset to the Virginia farm
cr This knowledge and these dem
onstrations by many neiEhborhoods
have been brought about by the sons
and daughters of those farmers.