The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-10-08
Boys FARM CLUBS.
Extension of Corn Club Idea
Gives Boys Training in
Crop Rotation and
Live Stock Feed
ind

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 the extension of the move
ment through the formation of boys
farm clubs. In these clubs the boys
who have already learned in the for
mer organizations how to prouuces
large Yields of corn and the value OF
live stock will be taught the elemen-
tary principles of crop rotation the
economical feeding of live STOCK anu
the upbuilding of the soil.
Without some system OF rotatioh
members of the corn clubs who nave
obtained large yields on their acre one
wear can not repeat their perform
ances the following season. Inc farnl
clubs, therefore, are designed to teacn
the BOYS how best to use this acre the
wear after they have grown their corn
Each one of the members should own
or have the .are Of 1T least one farm
animal which should lie carried on
the acre. raturalng profit to its own,
or and ferriiAlng the soil. lna I'LL 4
wear the are is t. { soWn TO corn
aGain.
Ia this way the boys c't2a 1cW
,novide a practical ~ et yea 5 ''C('lse
in the principles of sound agriculture
The importance of the movement Is
shown bv the fact that nearly ,e00
hovs are now enrolled in the corn clu0s
of the South, and several thousallu
more in pig clubs, not only learning
themselves, but furnishing an lnVaiu-
able object lesson to the grown farm
ers around them. .u.,
in these farm clubs is, of course, de-
termined by individual condltlons' IN
some sections the acre should be soWA
to a cover crop for grazing and turn
mo under in the spring. After TINS
treatment, cowpeas. soy beans, or pea
rnts NAV be sown and prizes given Tor
the greatest Weld. Elsewhere such
crops as rye and crimson clover, rye
and bur clover. or vetch and oats may
be sown together. Excellent results
have already been obtained by many
bows with crimson clover, one reason
being that they take more PAINS with
inoculation than the average farmer.
For the smaller boys in the frSl
vaars of their membership in the CLUBS
acre is probably enough to handle
The corn they require to iced thel
live stock may be obtained in exchange
for small grain, hay cowpeas, clover
seed. or some of the other products OF
their acre. or else the average boy, oS
helping his father on farm, may re
ceive sufficient feed of corn in return
for his labor. Older boys may, o.
course, find , acres none too m3ch
nptting / acre in corn and the othe
in small grain and legumes
In order to stimulate interest tn
authorities in charge Of this demon
stration work are recommending tina
rrizes be offered for legumes and 10
the small grain grown by the clu
members as we'll as for corn. II
bow uses his grain crop for grain
or turning under, he can compete TO
prizes on such crops as peanuts
beans, peas. and lespedeza. 1t IS ais
an excellent opportunity for vaIua0I
demonstration in the best methods o
harvesting the seed Of the cloVefS
yetch, etc.
After a year of this work, prepara
ton should be made to plant the acr
to corn again. The boy will the
know much more about corn produt
+ion and farming in general than Whe
he first entered the club. At the en-
of the third year most OF the cru
members will probably be compelled
for one reason or another. to leave tn
club. 1t is recommended that cert
ficates signed by the highest author