The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1917-03-22
CLUB WORK HAS
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Boys and Girls Make Good Records
in Year 1916.

Reports made by the boys and girls
of Louisiana who belong to the agri.
cultural and live stock clubs indicate
that their work in 1915 was very sue.
cessful. Nearly 1000 written reports
from the club members have been
received by the Junior Extension di
vision of the Louisiana State Univer
sity and the results obtained were
very satisfactory to the club leaders.
Club work in Louisiana Is divided
into five classes: Corn, pig, canning,
poultry and cotton. A summary Of
the work of each club is given below.
Corn Clubs.
Louisiana corn club boys produced
an average yield of 46 bushels of corn
per acre in 1916, which Is more than
twice the yield per acre for the en-
tire state. This corn was produced
at cost Of 46 cents per bushel.
The corn club enrolment was 1900,
OF whom ga have made written re-
port Of their work. OF this num-
Der 115 planted their acre plots to
winter cover crops, and 204 selected
their planting seed In the field.
There were 500 ten-ear exhibits of
boys corn on display at the Louisiana
State Fair and probably as many more
ct the various parish fairs. Cash
prizes, farming implements and L. s.
U. short course scholarships were
awarded the members who made the
best exhibits.
Pig Clubs.
Louisiana pig club boys raised q.
224 pigs in 1916. The average weight
Of these pigs at the time the boys
began keeping their records was 42
pounds, indicating that most Of the
club members started the years work
with young pigs. The average weight
at the time the reports were made
was 205 pounds. The average initial
value Of the pigs was $500 and the
average present value $31.2o, accord
ing to the boys estimates.
The total final weight Of these pigs
is 455,s20 pounds, which, valued at
eight cents pound live weight, would
make the pigs raised by the boys this
year worth, as pork, S36,47360. The
actual value Of the pigs is consider
ably above this as 81 per cent of them
were pure bred and many were prize
winners at parish fairs and the State
Fair, which gaYe them an enhanced
value as breeding stock.
There were -s02 pigs exhibited at
parish and community fairs and 260
at the State Fair The railway CON-
panies hauled Is car loads Of boys
pigs to and from the State Fair at
Shreveport free OF charge.
Canning Clubs.
Nineteen parishes in Louisiana EN-.
ployed women agents in canning club
work In 1915; fourteen Of these |
agents were appointed for twelve !
months and five for only the canning
season. There were 1,130 girls en-
rolled in the clubs.
Four hundred and forty-nine club |
members reported 264,556 pounds CT |
tomatoes raised, 64,S64 containers
filled, and an average profit of $13.75 |
from the sale of canned goods. This |
does not take into account the large |
amount Of fresh canned tomatoes con-
sumed nor the canned goods placed |
In the home pantries. Four hundred |
and thirteen girls made caps and ap.
rons for canning demonstrations,
which is a part of the required work.
Exhibits of the girls work were
made at the parish and ward fairs,
and at the State Fair. Scholarships
at the short course at the Louisiana
State University we're awarded to
girls who did the best work In each
parish, and in a few cases money
prizes were given.
Poultry Clubs.
Seven hundred and forty boys and
girls Ii Louisiana enrolled In the
poultry clubs In 1915, and nearly one.
third of this number submitted writ.
ten reports Of the work at the close
of the season. This Ii considered o
good record for the first year Of or.
ganization.
Thirty parishes were represented In
the poultry membership. The boys
and girls were divided into rs clubs,
43 Of which were In the agricultural
high schools. The remaining clubs
were supervised by home demonstra-
ton agents, parish demonstration
agents and Junior club agents.
The club members are encouraged
to raise pure-bred poultry, and they
have been assisted In getting q
start by poultry breeders, who have
supplied new members with pure.bred
eggs at reduced prices.
At most Of the parish fairs and at
the State Fair special prizes were
offered for poultry club exhibits. They |
were allowed to enter their fowls In
open competition and in many In.
stances won first prize oTer exhibits !
made by older breeders.
Cotton Clubs.
Cotton club work was taken up for
he first time in 1915. Demonstration
agents in six Of the cotton-growing
parishes selected six boys each who | ]
lgreed to plant and cultivate two I
scres in cotton Under the agents in.
;tructions. Special attention was paid .
% seed selection preparation Of seed !
bed and cultivation. +
The boys made an average yield IL {
I,0S1 pounds OF seed cotton per acre
n addition to the high prices receiv. t
d for the lint, some OF the boys have Z
'old their cotton seed at q premium
or planting purposes. :