Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1915-05-27
The Fewer Rules the Better
Says the Department
of Agriculture
USE PERC ENTAGE BASIS
Boys Corn Club Work Should Be Pro-
eressiVe and 1t is Proposed to Fur
ther Systemize the Work.

Department OF Agriculture
1t is not necessary to have many
rules-the fewer the better. A few
simple regulations, however, are neces-
sary, in order to prevent misunder-
standings and conflicts. 1t is we'll for
the boys to elect their own president,
vice president, secretary and treasurer
either in clubs or in county organiZa-
tons 1t is often helpful if these of.
ficers, with one or two additional in
| terested parties, constitute an execu-
| tive committee.
The following rules should be adopt
ed by the clubs, with such modifica-
lions to suit local conditions as may
| be found necessary:
% Boys entering clubs and enter
| ing contests must be between 10 and
Is years of age on January l of any
| given year.
| (2) No boy should be allowed to
contest for a prize unless he becomes
member of the club and agrees to
submit his reports.
go Members of the clubs must
| agree to study the instructions of the
| Farmers Cooperative Demonstration
Work.
ca Each boys must plan his own
crop and do his own work; If a small
boy, he may hire help for heavy plow-
ing in the preparation of the SOIL
| Tho bnorty co-onaration of the father
of the boy is of great value.
| 60 Exhibits of 10 ears, accompa-
MED by written report and a written
account showing the history of the
crop must be made at place desig-
mated for the purpose in the county.
Such exhibits may be held on a given
day, either at the county fair or, if
no fair is held in the county, at the
courthouse or some other convenient
place.
Co The land upon which the boys
crop is made must be carefully meas
ured and the corn weighed in the pres
ence of two disinterested witnesses,
who shall attest the boys certificate.
This certificate must show that the
plat contains 1910 square yards. The
acre should be measured before plant
ing. The crop must grow upon the
acre. It is suggested that fairness and
uniformity would require that the out
side rows do not come nearer than
IS inches from the edge of the acre.
ca The entire crop of corn from
the acre should be weighed when 1t is
in a dry condition. Two 100-pound
lots should be weighed from different
parts of the plat. Then the corn from
these two lots should be shelled and
weighed separately. From these fig
ures the average percentage of shelled
corn will be found, The total weight
of corn in the ear should be multiplied
by this percentage and divided by Of
pounds, in order to get the total num-
Der of bushels of shelled corn. In ev'
cry case where the yield exceeds lOO
bushels, notice should be sent to the
State agent in charge of the Boys
Corn Clubs in the State and to the
special agent in charge of the Farm
ers Cooperative Demonstration Work
at Washington, d. C. This should be
done Immediately.
(8) In awarding prizes the following
basis shall be used:
Per cent
a.. Greatest yield per acre. 81
b. Best exhibit of 10 ears. ....... Il
c. Best written account, showing
history of the crop. ............ ~
d. Best showing of profit on invest
ment based on the commercial
price of corn .................. 81
II is a good plan to have a, b and
Judged by a committee of farm experts
and by a committee of school Off
GERS or teachers. Their combined
Judgment in such case should de
termine the final results. In estimat
! ing the profits, uniform prices should
be used. For instance, SIS per acre fol
, land rental; 10 cents per hour for the
work of each boy and cents per houl
{ for each horse; So for a 2-horse loat
, of stable manure, weighing about ;
ton; 81 for 1-horse load of manure
weighing about half a ton; and thu
market price for commercial fertilizer
: This plan of cost accounting has thu
/ advantage of great simplicity, but 9th
. | or methods of accounting may D'
: adopted by, special arrangement.
. It is believed that the Boys Corr
, Club work should be progressive, ant
plans are now under consideration TO
further systematizing this branch o
! our work. We feel confident tina
/ boys may easily be taught the valu
/ of the rotation of crops in building u
j soil, and that the Importance OF sol
building may be illustrated to then
a through simple demonstrations Il
corn.club work. The boys who ca
take poor land and make the creates
improvement in its fertility and pro
3 ductiveness at the least expenditur
of time and money should be entitle
: to greatest credit. AS soon as the dc
tails can be perfected, this work wi