The Republican journal., 1915-10-07
Boys Farm Clubs.
Extension Of Corn Club Idea Gives Boys |
Training In Crop Rotation and Live Stock )


Extension Of Corn Club Idea Gives Boys
Training In Crop Rotation and Live Stock
Feeding.
The success of boys corn clubs and pig
clubs IN the South has led those in charge
OF the work in this section to plan for
me extension Of the movement through
the formation OF boys farm clubs. In
these clubs the boys who have already
learned IN the former organizations how
to produce large yields OF corn and the
value OF live stock. will be taught the
elementary principles OF crop rotation,
the economical feeding of live stock, and
the upbuliding of the soil.
Without some system of rotation MEN,
bers OF the corn clubs who have obtained
large yields on their acre one year can
not repeat their performances the follow
ing season. The farm clubs, therefore,
are designed to teach the boys how best
to use this acre the year after they have
grown their corn. Each one of the MEM
bers should own, or have the care of, at
least one farm animal which should be
carried on the acre, returning profit to
its owner and fertilizing the soil. The
third year the acre is to be sown to corn
! again.
In this way the boys clubs now provide
a practical three years course in the
| principles of sound agriculture. The i'm
portance of the movement is shown by
the fact that nearly $4,000 boys are now
enrolled in the corn clubs OF the South,
and several thousand more in pig clubs,
not only learning themselves. but fur
nlshing an invaluable object lesson to
the grown farmers around them.
The exact rotation that is followed in
these farm clubs is, of course, determined
by Individual conditions. In some sections
the acre should be sown to a cover crop
for grazing, and turning under in the
spring. After this treatment, cowpeas,
soy beans, or peanuts may be sown and
| prizes given for the greatest yield Else
where such crops as rye and crimson
clover, rye and bur clover, or vetch and
oats may be sewn together. Excellent
results have already been obtained by
many boys with crimson clover, one
reason being that they take more pains
with incubation than the average farmer.
For the smaller boys in the first years
of their membership in the clubs acre
is. probably enough to handle. The corn
they require to feed their live stock may
Nc oUIdiueU Ill lOI SLIdl ALL,
hay, cowpeas, clover seed, or some of
the other products of their acre, or else
the average boy, by helping his father on
a farm, many receive sufficient feed of
corn in return for his labor. Older boys
may, of course, find acres none TOO
much, putting . acre in corn and the
other in small grain and legumes.
In order to stimulate interest, the au-
thorities in charge of this demonstration
work are recommending that prizes be
offered for legumes and for the small
gram by the club members as we'll as for
corn. If a boy uses his grain crop for
grazing or turning under, he can compete
for prizes on such crops as peanuts, beans,
peas, and lespedeza 1t is also an excel
lent opportunity for valuable demonstra-
ton in the best methods of harvesting
the seed of the clovers, vetch, etc.
After year of this work, preparation
should be made to plant the acre to corn
again. The boy will then know much
more about corn production and farmi
in general then when he first entered tie
club. At the end of the third year mos
of the club members will probably be
compelled, for one reason or another, to
leave the club. 1t is recommended that
certificates by the highest authorities of
the colleges and States should be given
to every coy after three years work of
the character outlined. u. S. Dept. of
Agriculture Bulletin.