Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-06

The work of the boys corn clubs
has now been in progress for a de-
cade. During that time some very
remarkable transformations have oc
Cured in the agriculture of the
state Not the least important of
these has been the increase effect
ed in the production of corn. The
crop has doubled in size, and is now
grown in many localities where l.
was thought it could not profitably
be raised. There has also been
quite a marked increase in yield per
acre, amounting in many instances
10 SO per cent. The doubling of the
corn crop has influenced our farm
ing operations to n much larger eX-
tent than is generally recognized.
AS a matter of fact, it has changed
us largely from an importing state,
IN so far as this cereal is concerned,
to one on a self-sustaining basis.
The increase in the yield of the
corn crop has added much to the
wealth of Georgia. Thirty million
bushels of corn at present prices
would be worth nearly sixty mllI1oh
dollars. By increasing the gross or
our crop to the extent indicated we
ere in position to feed our live
stock to better advantage on home
produced rations, and so to keep IN
Georgia this year the equivalent OF
about sixty million dollars, which at
one time in our recent agricultural
tistory we would have had to send
outside the state for this important
and essential animal foodstuff.
The experiences we have had have
demonstrated that large crops Of
N
that this cereal can be raised at d
reasonable cost per bushel, that the
farmer can and should devote q
larger area Of his land to this crop
than he has been giving 20 it in the
past. that no farmer can afford to
ignore the cultivation of corn as ne
can produce it for a great. deal less
than it will cost him in the open
market, and that The cultivation nf
this crop should be re-emphasiZed
and extended in all parts OF Georgia
but most particularly in those sec
tons where large quantities of pea
nuts are raised to be grazed down
BIZ hogs. Undoubtedly if this class
of animals were more extensively
fed on corn towards the end the
fattening period they would go to
market in better condition and
would bring the owner a higher
rrice.
So corn must always be regarded
next to cotton, as one of our most
Important basic crops, and anything
we can do to extend it's econom
production IN the state of Georgia is
certainly well worth while. No force
or agency has eXerted a greater in
fluence on the cultivation of this
crop than the boys corn clubs. In
many instances they were the pion'
GERS who showed that yields of 2o,
so and IS bushels per acre could be
made at a distinct profit. They
demonstrated that corn could be pro-
duced in practically every county in
Georgia with success. They changed
many of our doubling Thomases"
into real enthusiastic corn pro-
ducers.
The clubs, of course, have had
their cups and downs and their diff
ficuIties to contend with. It is only
natural and human that this should
be the case, but on the whole the
efforts of the boys who enrolled
themselves in this work have had a
most exemplary effect on Georgia's
agricultural practice and have en-
abled them to perform an economic
service in the interest of the STATE
Of immeasurab1e value. Ali honor
and glory to the little men who had
a vision and faith and a courage
which, their elders frequently did not
rossess! It takes a brave man to
start out on an unknown trail thai
leads to an unknown destination.
But for the fearless energy If youth
we might not have proceeded as ia :
along the line of increased corn cul-
tivation in Georgia as we have at
the present time. And so I feel that
a special measure of honor and glory
is due these faithful and efficient
young men who performed such a
worthy and valuable service for the
commonwealth.
I wonder sometimes if the people
in the communities in which these
hoys live understand and appreciate