American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-06-24
WHAT A CORN CONTEST
ACCOMPLISHED IN IOWA

of Waterloo and conducted under the
auspices of the Blackhawk Farm I'm
provement Association has done |
much to establish variety OF Reid's
Yellow Dent corn which is particular
ly adapted and suited to conditions
Of that county. This particular strain
Is known as Blackhawk County
Reid's. II is characterized by its
earliness and its superior qualities.
The strain has been grown In that
county for a number OF years and the
corn contest did much to acquaint
farmers with Its superior value over
other strains. This year larger pro-
portionate acreage is being planted
to the Blackhawk County Reid's type.
In order to get the farmers ac-
quainted with the proposed contest
circular letters were mailed to every
farmer In Blackhawk county early
In the spring Of 1914. The letters
were followed up with two banQuets
later in the spring, Two or three
farmers from each township were In
vited and the meetings were attend
ed by other business men from Wa
arranged to hold township meetings
details OF the contest.
At the meetings, A. A. Berget,
farm advisor OF that county, discuss-
ed the subject of corn and corn grow
ing, explaining how even an increase
of a bushel to the acre above the av-
erage yield would add more than
$4,000 to the net income Of the
county. An official Of the bank ex-
| Intx x...1 81 ~ f..lA la
among the winners of the contest
The result OF the meetings was that
$40 contestants entered ans these
were scattered throughout the coun-
ty. Seven corn clubs were organic
ed and regular meetings held during
the entire season.
Rules of the contest made II pos
sible for every corn grower OF Black
hawk contuy to enter. A feature wHs
the absence OF rules. The acre plot
could be either square or rectangu-
lar, but II had 10 be at least four
rods wide. II could be planted by
itself or selected from any part OF
the field Contestants had the prlvi-
lege OF either checking or drilling
More than one entry was allowed
from a farm. but the rules stipulated
that only one OF the first five prizes
would be awarded to one farm. There
were no entry fees and all corn ex-
hibited at the show was to remain the
property of the grower. Prizes lor
the best acre yields rangod from
5000 down to $40. there being z3
cash prizes making total Of $1,000
Prizes In the boys and girls corn
contests ranged from 800 down to
$25, there being six OF them making
: total of $500.
In awarding, yield In determined
: by weight and moisture test counted
rs per cent, while type. maturity aud
quality OF the 30-ear sample exhibit
: ed counted 25 per cent The show
was held In connection with the Wa
terloo dairy congress IN October The
$3.50 samples required a space OF ~
! feet wide and 210 feet long. Exhib-
its from each township were shown
? by themselves and this was also true
, with the exhibits of the boys and girls
contests.
Winning samples contained II
J Blackhawk County Reid's, Q Reds.
Leaning, 2 Yelolw Mixed, and
d white resembling Silver Mine The
e highest yield OF field weight corn al
. lowing 20 pounds to the bnshel waf
0 HAP bushels while the lowest yield
3 was 48.1 bushels. The average was
: S0.7 bushels. After all moisture In
excess OF IL per cent had been de-
l Quoted the highest yield was o.!
bushels, the lowest 40.9 bushels ant
the average 67.37 bushels.
Q The superior value OF Blackhawl
< County Reds was shown when III
q yields we're compared with other va
d rieties commonly grown In that coun
q ty. Twenty-three SAMPLES OF tn
e Blackhawk County Reds type aver
o aged 1875 bushels OF air dry corn a.
e compared with 6G.5 bushels OF regu
3. lar Reds and with 62-6 bushels o
the other varieties nhmed. mr. Burg
or is encouraging more corn grower
10 to change over TO the county type @
Is Reid's and he is using the facts et
10 tabiished by this contest 70 persuad
rs the farmers Of the merit OF the local
35 ly developed corn.--Wallaces Farme