American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-10-28
BOYS FARM CLUBS GIVE
MEMBERS GOOD TRAINING
Southern Youths Get Valuable Exper.
ience From Agricultural Competi-
tions-Movemcn Grows.

The success of boys corn clubs and
pig clubs in the south has led those In
charge OF the work In that section to
plan for the extension of the movement
through the formation of boys. farm
clubs. In these clubs the boys who
have already learned In the former
organization how to produce large
yields OF corn aud the value of live
stock will be taught the elementary
principles of crop rotation, the eco
nomical feeding of live. stock. and the
upbuilding OF the soil.
without some system of rotation
members OF the corn clubs who have
obtained large yields on their acre
one year can not repeat the perfor-
nance the following 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 members
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 yoar the acre Is to
be sown TO corn again.
In this way boys clubs now pro-
vide three years course In the prln-
ciples of sound agriculture. The I'M
portance of the movement Is shown
by the fact that nearly 10000 boys are
now enrolled In the corn clubs OF the
south, and several thousand more In
pig clubs, not only learning them
selves. but furnishing an Invaluable
object lesson to the grown farmers
around them.
The exact rotation that IL followed
In these form clubs Is, OF course, de-
termincd by individual conditions. In
some sections the acre should be sown
to a cover crop for grazing and turn
ing under In the spring After this
treatment COW peas, soy beans, or pea
nuts may be sown and the prizes given
for the greatest yield, Elsewhere such
crops as red rye and crimson nover
rye and bur, clover, or vetch and oats
may be sown together. Excellent re-
suits have already been obtained by
many. 0oys VITA Sriasxoa ciopor, ee7
reason being th..t they take more pains
with incubation tn. n the average far
mer.
For the smaller boys In the first
years OF their membership In the clubs
one acre Is probably enough to han
die. The corn they require TO feed
their live stock may be obtained In
exchange for small grain. hay. COW
pea, clover seed, or some OF the other
products OF their acre. or else the av-
erage boy, by helping his father. may
receive sufficient corn In return for
his labor. Older boys may. OF course.
find two acres none too much. putting
one acre IN corn and the other In
small grain and legumes.
In order to stimulate interest the
authorities IN charge of this demon
stration work are recommending that
prizes be offered for the legumes and
for the small grain grown by the club
WtiDsTb IN WcI u ioI c'Iu. IL u
boy uses his grain crop for grazing or
turning under. he can compete for
prizes on such crops as peanuts. beans
pea and Iespedeza. II IN also an ex-
cellent opportunity for valuable dem
onstratIon IN the best methods OF har-
yesting the seed OF the cloyers, yetch
and like crops
After a year OF this work prepara.
ton should be made 10 plant the acre
to corn again. The boy will then
!, know much more about corn pToasc
tion and farming In general than when
he first entered the club. At the END
OF the third year most OF the clui
, members will probably be compelled
for one reason or another. to leave
the club. II is recommended that GER
tificates signed by the highest author
tiles OF the college and states stoulf
be given to every boy after thre'
. years work OF the character outlined