The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-04-12
CLUB WORK HAS
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Boys and Girls Make Good Records
in Year 1916.

cultural and live stock clubs indicate
hat their work in 1916 was very sue
,essful. Nearly 1000 written reports
rom the club members have been
by the Junior Extension d.
vision Of the Louisiana State Univer.
sity and the results obtained wero
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 As 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 a cost of 46 cents per bushel.
The corn club enrolment was 1900.
of whom 524 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 sos ten-ear exhibits Of
boys corn on display at the Louisiana
State Fair and probably as many moro
at the various parish fairs. Cash
prizes, farming implements and L. 8.
q. short course scholarships were
awarded the members who made the
best exhibits.
Pig Clubs.
Louisiana pig club boys raised b
224 pigs in 1916. The average weight
Of these pigs at the time the boys
began keeping their records was AZ
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 EOS pounds. The average initial
value of the pigs was $3.50 and the
average present value $31.20, accord
ing to the boys estimates.
The total final weight OF these pigs
is 455,920 pounds, which, valued at
eight cents pound live weight, would
make the pigs raised by the boys this
year worth. as pork, $36,473.60. 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 gave them an enhanced
value as breeding stock.
There were 802 pigs exhibited at
parish and community fairs and 260
az thu C%axn Eso;r The 70 31uyo,y <oyxr
panies hauled 13 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 1916; fourteen Of these
agents were appointed for twelve
months and five for only the canning
season. There were 1,13O girls en-
rolled in the clubs.
Four hundred and forty-nine club
members reported 264,556 pounds Ct
tomatoes raised, 64,864 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 were 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 in Louisiana enrolled in the
poultry clubs in 1916, and nearly one.
third OF this number submitted writ
ten reports of the work at the close
Of the season. This is considered a
good record for the first year Of or
ganization.
Thirty parishes were represented in
the poultry membership. The boyl
and girls were divided into rs clubs
43 of which were in the agricultural
high schools. The remaining clubs
were supervised by home demonstra
tion agents. parish demonstrators
agents and junior club agents.
The club members are encouraged
to raise pure-bred poultry, and they
have been assisted in getting I
start by poultry breeders, who have
supplied new members with pure-bret
eggs at reduced prices.
At most of the parish fairs and a
the State Fair special prizes wer
offered for poultry club exhibits. The.
were allowed to enter their fowls II
open competition and in many in
stances won first prize over exhibit
made by older breeders.
Cotton Clubs.
Cotton club work was taken up 70
the first time in 1916. Demonstration
agents in six of the cotton-growin
parishes selected six boys each VIII
. agreed to plant and cultivate tw
acres in cotton under the agents in
. structions. Special attention was pal
. to seed selection, preparation Of see
bed and cultivation.
; The boys made an average yield
1,031 pounds Of seed cotton per acr
In addition to the high prices recei'
ed for the lint, some of the boys hav
sold their cotton seed at a premiul
> for planting purposes.
In l917. cotton clubs are being o
ganized in twelve parishes, with
uembership Of 10&