Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-24

The establishment Of our extension
division has provided some of the most
u wing as well as entertaining and in
spring chapters in the history OF our
college. Believing that the man could
hest be reached through the boy, and
that our work should be co-ordinated
with the schools, Georgia was one Of
The first. fl not the first. TO establish
L9ys' corn clubs on the basis now so
well ana favorably known in many
states Corn clubs were first established
VI 1905 the work being co-ordinated
Eith that Of the L. :. department OF
agriculture ia 1899. The results OBJ
tanned through this organization seem
almost magical. In 1909. the state rails
ell approximately 5s,O0O.0O0 bushels OF
corn; in 1915. IL harvested 66.6eO,OOO
bushels The average yield for the de-
cs,6e previous TO the initiation of corn
clubs was about 10 bushels per acre;
Il is now around 10 bushels. AS
corn is worth about 81 a bushel, the
increased value Of the crop over that
produced i'm Isle amounted to Ss7,6eO'-
Crs. This is truly a phenomenal change
20 bring about through the agency of
boys work, and is all the more impress
size because OF the short period in which
the result was obtained and on account
OF the large increase in permanent
wealth IL insures TO the state every year.
There are about I0.5O0 boys enrolled
under our corn club banner. More than
Fifty Of them made over 100 bushels OF
corn per acre I'm 1915 at cost OF less
than 80 cents per bushel, and were
gwen certificates OF merit. Ellsworth
Watkins OF Jackson, Ga, made the high
est Weld in 1915. He grew and hRr-
vested 1861 bushels OF corn on an acre
q ground at a profit of SIs7.4s. Let us
acclaim him. He is hero In his par
ticuIar line. Did he not fight a good
fight with nature and win? Did he not
hold his trust in faithful obligation in
spite OF every disbursement? Did
Re not turn a deaf ear 20 the dertstve
Jest OF men and boys OF his acquaint-
Gnces Ges. and more. for he exempli-
fed self control. devotion to duty. and
4 sublime faith in his leaders and the
cause he espoused. nominate him as a
fit subject for the ID. $. o.. and who
shall say he is unworthy. Ten
years ago farmers said corn could not
lie grown probably in Georgia Last
year 3.2IO bOys grew $1,000 bushels on
their acre plots. or an average OF 4S
bushels per acre at a cost of - cents
uer bushsl. and a profit OF s55.l1T.i0.
Not content 10 have boys grow corn
alone, the fOur-crop club organized sew
members mainly OF boys graduated from
the corn clubs. These boys practice
n rotation and grow cotton, corn. oats
and hay on individual acres In 1915
they made the yields and profits re-
corded below:
FOUR-CROP CLUB RECORDS FOR
STATE: sss MEMBERS ENROLLED.
Cotton. average yield per acre. 1875
pounds: average profit, S2s.0s.
Corn. average yield per acre. 55.1
bushels; average profit. s36.2T.
Hay. average yield per acre, 3,1s1
pounds: average profit, S24.5S.
Oats, average yield per acre, St-S
bushels: average profit S2l.O2.
Total profit on three acres, s10s.ss.
What does their participation in the
agriculture OF the state pressage in the
net distant future2
In the preceding paragraphs we have
a beautiful Illustration OF that old Bible
text which states. a little child shall
lead them Here we have an example
OF what the latent energy of boys may
De made 20 accomplish through the in
spring influence Of wise and judicious
leadership. Here is provided a con-
vineing example Of the power OF an
ideal which must carry conviction into
the heart Of even a doubling Thomas"
= might expand at length upon the re-
narkable accomplishments OF the boys
corn clubs. but for the fact that space
fO-6ids and results tell their own story
more elOquently than words.
GIRLS INDU STRIAL CLUBS
Girls Industrial clubs were formulated
n 1912 along the lines 50 successfully
followed with the boys and they have