The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-04-13
H.S. BOYS TACKLE
LARGE PROJECTS
CLASS IN AGRICULTURE SETS
RECORD FOR PRACTICAL
SCHOOLING
TOTAL INVESTMENT EXCEEDS $1,000
Business Side Is Emphasized by
Keeping Careful Records to
Show Profit

The boys of the agricultural classes
in Brookings high school, under the
direction Of Prof. w. p. Beard, are
setting a new record for practical work
in agriculture in deciding upon pro-
jects for the summer which involve a
total initial investment, exceeding
81, 200.0 0 The 20 boys in the class are
by fall they will have more than
doubled their investment. The various
projects they have chosen are inter-
esting.
Among the animals which the boys
will raise are. "a ewes. two milk cows,
one baby beef and nine shoates. Sew
eral of the boys are aiming at a large
number Of chickens, the total number
being 1900 If they all hatch out and
survive. Besides the animals there
are 66 acres Of crops to be raised by
the boys. or this acreage 81 is to be
corn, the remainder to be alfalfa, po-
tatoes, soy beans, oats, cowpeas and
mangels. The crops will be used large
ly for feed.
Many OF the projects are we'll under
way at the present time. The lamb
crop is all in, the "a ewes producing
"a lambs. The pig crop is still COM
ing. Among both the sheep and hogs
are some of the best animals in the
state, several having won prizes at
the State fair.
One boy started MS project last fall
by purchasing a mich cow for $65.
Within six months he had retailed
enough milk to pay for the cow, her
feed and a good profit besides. He
has now another cow just fresh. That
is getting a start. Others have chances
of doing as well.
The business side is emphasized by
the keeping of careful records so that
at the close Of the project the boy
knows just how he came out. His &C.
counts are studied to see where he
can make improvements the next time.
Some very interesting Information is
often revealed. Last year one boy
made $lO7 net profit on s acres of
corn. He had a medium yield of &C
bushels e acre, but he had con
tracted his seed corn. Another boy
made $16.67 on six acres as a result
Of a j%udicious lease and $24 in prize
money on a 10-ear sample Of corn.
AS part of their class work the boys
put on a dairy contest this winter.
Fourteen cows were entered, milk,
feed and labor records were kept by
the boys at home. The milk was
tested at school. This followed a
study OF rations for dairy cows. The
contest lasted a week. A great diverg-
cnce was found among the COWS. Feeds
and milk were figured a. current
prices. The most profitable was a
grade Holstein which produced 1888
pounds OF milk and 1875 pounds OF fat
in the week. The total value of her
product amounted tc 1913 for the
week. The net profit was $4.25. The
lowest COW gave a net profit of "a
cents for the week. The average was
between 81 and SO profit per COW,
The boys are just finishing the
spring clean up OF harness as a part Of
their shop work. Twenty-Five sets
were brought in from the farms, minor.
repairs were made, and then cleaned
and oiled. Some very creditable sew
ing and repair work was done, also
some new work in the line Of brides
turned out. BY comparing the harness
as it came in and went out it. is easily
seen that many hours Of waste time
in he rush Of field work will be saved.
A Paint your wagon" campaign has
just ended. Here again some valuable
work was done. The boys found that
a wagon could be painted s%atisfactcr-
lily for between SO and 81, depending
OF course On the condition of the
wagon. Three running gears, two
triple boxes, n sled, a buggy and a
Ford were touched up. Such work is
not only valuable from the standpoint
OF saving implements, but has an edu.
cational value in habit formation and