The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-03-10
CLUB WORK HAS
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Reys and Girls Mako Good HeooFos
In Year 1915.

received by the Junior Extension oS
vision of the Louisiana State Unlver-
gity and the results obtained "erS
very satisfactory to the club leaders
Club work in Louisiana is d1Vloed
into five classes: Corn, pig, canning,
poultry and cotton. A summary u
the work OF each club is given oelo"'
Corn Clubs.
Louisiana corn club boys produced
an average yield of 46 bushels or corn
per acre in 1916, which is more than
twice the yield per acre FOR the en.
tire state. This corn was proouceo
at cost of As cents per bushel.
The corn club enrolment was 1'9eo'
of whom 524 have made written re-
port of their work. Of this num-
Der 115 planted their acre plots 10
winter cover crops, and 2o4 selected
their planting seed in the field.
There were SOB ten-ear exhibits OF
boys corn on display at the Louisiana
State Fair and probably as many more
at the various parish fairs. Casn
Prizes, farming implements and l.. $.
II. short course scholarships were
awarded the members who made the
best exhibits.
Pig Clubs.
Louisiana pig club boys raised Il
224 pigs In 1915. 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 205 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 26o
at the State Fair. The railway COM
panies hauled IL car loads of boys
pigs to and from the State Fair at
Shreveport free of charge
Canning Clubs.
Nineteen parishes in Louisiana ena.
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 1,130 girls en-
rolled in the clubs.
Four hundred and forty-nine club
members reported 264,556 pounds OF
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 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 1915, and nearly one
third of this number submitted writ,
ten reports of the work at the close
Of the season. This is considered q
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 demonstrar
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 over exhibits
made by older breeders.
Cotton Clubs.
Cotton club work was taken UP for
the first time In 1916. Demonstration
agents in six OF the cotton-growing
parishes selected six boys each who
agreed to plant and cultivate two
acres in cotton under the agents in
structions. Special attention was paid
to seed selection. preparation Of seed
bed and cultivation.
The boys made an average yield ii
1881 pounds Of seed cotton per acre.
In addition to the high prices receiv-
ed for the lint, some of the boys have
sold their cotton aead az q nrox, f,9 ~,