Newspapers / The Carolina Union Farmer … / Jan. 2, 1913, edition 1 / Page 6
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Page Six THE CAROLINA UNION PARMER [Thursday, January 2, 1913. CORN CLUB PRIZE WINNER. Row George West, the Lenoir County liiul, Increased the Yield of Com From Twenty-five Bushels to One Hundred and Eighty-four Bushels Per Acre. The Carolina Union Parmer is glad to have the opportunity of giving to its readers the true story of “how it was done” in respect to the winner of the prize offered by the North Carolina Farmers’ Union for the lar gest yield at lowest cost. This prize —a trip to Washington, D. C.,—is offered annually by the executive committee, and was won this year by Mr. George West, Route 6, Kinston, N. C. The letter to Prof. Schaub gives in detail the work it took to accomplish this result and shows what the Boys’ Corn Club is doing in nearly every section of the good old State of North Carolina; Route No. 6, Kinston, N. C., December 12, 1912. Mr. I. O. Schaub, West Raleigh, N. C. Dear Sir:—This is the way I culti vated my corn for the past three years on an acre of land that would yield before about twenty-five bush els of corn to the acre. 'The first year, 1910, I went over the land with a stalk cutter, cutting stalks and grass as fine as I could, then flat broke it about five inches deep with a two-horse plow, then broadcasted about 1,000 pounds of lime. Next I harrowed the lime in well, took the scrapings around the yard and buildings, about fifty cart loads, and spread over the land. Then I broke up the land again with a single horse plow, running off the rows two and five feet apart and five inches deep, then drilled twenty-five cart loads of stable manure in drills, which I covered with a cultivator. About the middle of April I planted the corn twelve inches apart. After it came up, worked it about every ten days until it began to silk and tassell, and at the last plowing I put $10 worth of Hubbards’ Top Dresser. This year I made 104 bushels of corn. The second year, 1911, I first went over the land with a stalk cutter, then with a disc harrow broke the land about eight inches deep and broadcasted 100 bushels marl and after harrowing this in, put seventy loads of woods mould and broadcast ed it, then run over the land again with a disc harrow. Next I broad casted forty cart loads of stable ma nure over the land, running this over with a disc.harrow, then with a smoothing harrow, after which 1 run off my rows two and five feet apart and planted corn about twelve inches apart. I cultivated it the same way I did the first year. At the last plow ing I put on $10 worth of nitrate of soda and sowed one bushel of peas on the land. This year I gathered 12 6 bushels of corn. The third year, 1912, I first cut the stalks, then run a disc harrow over it one half day to thoroughly cut stalks and pea vines, then flat broke the land ten inches deep with a two- horse plow. Next I broadcasted twenty cart loads of stable manure and run a disc harrow over it, then flat broke it with a one-horse plow and ran over it twice with a smooth ing harrow, then run off the rows two and five feet apart with a shovel plow twice to the row, I then took a corn planter and planted my corn about twelve inches apart, cultivat ing about every ten days until laid by. At the last plowing I put on $10 worth of Hubbards’ Southern Leader and broadcasted in peas. On Novem ber 13, 1912, I gathered 184 bushels of corn. I have been in the Corn Club three years. Respectfully, (Signed) GEORGE E. WEST. THE CORN AND CANNING CLUBS AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO THE FARMER. By Superintendent M. L. Hardin, Benton County, Tennessee. After two days of crowded halls and intense interest, the Benton County Corn and Canning Exhibit was closed Monday, November 4th. This was the first farm demonstra tion show ever held in the county, and the boys and girls made records surpassing the expectations of their most sanguine friends. Some who had opposed the work “saw and be lieved.” It is not my purpose to dis cuss the club work at length, but I wish to give a few facts gathered from the exhibit to show what the work really means to the farmer. There were thirty-six boys exhib iting 720 ears of corn and eighty stalks of tall corn. Eight varieties and several crosses were represented. The highest yield reported is 115 bushels, with a second 78, and a third 73 bushels. The tallest stalk exhibit ed was almost seventeen feet high, and on ten stalks shown by one boy were twenty-one well developed ears and some “nubbins.” The total yield of the thirty-six boys is a fraction over 1,688 bushels; the total value at 80 cents per bushel is $1,350.40. The average per boy is almost 4 7 bushels per acre. Now, some comparisons: The aver age yield in Benton County with or dinary culture is 15 bushels. The boys exceed this 32 bushels per acre. Under ordinary methods of cultiva tion, the thirty-six boys would have produced 540 bushels worth, at 80 cents, $432; a total difference in bushels of 1,148; in dollars, $918.40. Does the Corn Club pay? This is just dollars and cents on the thirty-six boys who exhibited, and does not include a number of others who joined the Club, raised the corn, but from one cause or another, did not exhibit. Nor does it include the facts that most of these boys have read from one to ten bulletins and books on scientific agriculture, that they have been taught to observe and learn the laws of nature, that they have been taught reading, writ ing, arithmetic, geography, history, book-keping, soil chemistry, plant physiology, and other sphool subjects in the most concrete and practical way. They are now “investigators” as well as “demonstrators.” Does this mean anything to the future of this country? Still some honest (?) objectors say: “Their school work is being neglected.” The boys each prepared a booklet on “How I Made My Crop,” which ought, forever, to settle the question. We have tried to present only a few literal facts,—things that can be re duced to cold mathematical reason ing; the inspiration given these and the dozens of other boys, the dig nity given agriculture and the farm er, the hundreds of adult farmers who are studying and are going to pra-ctice improved farming next year and their added yield and wealth was not considered. Some one has said: “The Corn Show is worth $10,000 to Benton County.” What do you say? But this is just one phase of the work. Fourteen girls, members of the “Girls Canning and Poultry Club,” brought about 1,000 cans of their products, representing the enor mous number of 126 different vari eties of canned goods, things which usually go to waste on the farm. Thirty-four of this variety was made from tomatoes. One of the great canning concerns of the United States boasts of fifty-seven varieties, while one State boasts of ninety-six varie ties in its “Ladies’ Canning Clubs.” Yet these are mere farmers’ daugh ters aided by their collaborator, Mrs. Mabel W. Hardin. The money value of the tomato crop is not so easily obtained on account of reports not all being available, but figures from a few crops are Interesting. One girl makes an itemized report and shows $75 of tomatoes raised on one-tenth acre; another $65; another $50; — $750, $650, and $500 on one acre of land! Farmers, can you beat it? And it’s facts, too. One girl has can ned over 500 three-pound tin cans from her one-tenth acre, besides all the pickle, preserves, fresh tomatoes, soups, etc., that the family could use. She finds a ready market for the tin cans at 10 cents. Now count! But another side! The girls ex hibited cook-books which they had compiled, telling how to prepare to matoes in over 140 different ways. These books not only showed thought along the lines of scientific, sanitary cooking, but gave work in reading, writing, arithmetic, history, physiol ogy, chemistry, art, and home-mak- ign. Think you that a girl who has studied and made one of these books will be content in a dirty cabin with a straggling morning-glory vine run ning over a dilapidated porch? She has learned that in Nature’s bounty is independence, beauty, and happi ness, and that Nature’s God intended these to be hers. A word as to prizes. The Farm ers’ Union gave $50 in cash to be given in prizes, one banker gave $25 in gold, another $10, etc., merchants gave a nice suit of clothes, shot guns, watches, hats, shoes, shirt waists, etc. In every case where cash was awarded it was insisted that the boy or girl buy thorough-bred hogs, sheep, and poultry for prizes and the winners have been asked to keep ac curate account of the increase and profits from same to report next year. We contemplate adding to the dem onstration work next year. a live stock and poultry department and thus make the work more efficient training for farm life. The Department of Agriculture is generous in its help. Fellow-farm ers. will you encourage the work and see that your boy or girl has a chance ^o love the farm? To see something in the soil besides drudgery and hard work? The above is an account of the work done in one of our best Union counties by the Boys’ Corn Club and Girls’ Tomato Club under the direc tion of members of the Farmers’ Union.—L. M. Rhodes, President. FARRIERS’ INSTITUTES, 1913. First Party. ' January 13—Lumber Bridge. H—Red Springs. 15— John Station. 16— Lumberton. 17— Dublin. 18— St. Paul. 20— Wrightsboro. 21— Burgaw. 22— Hallsboro. 23— Fairmont. 24— Chadbourn. 25— Tabor. Second Party. January 13—Woodard School-House. 14— Selma. 15— Hood Swamp. 16— Salem (Church). 17— Falling Creek High School. 18— Smith’s Chapel. 20— Clinton. 21— Concord Church. 22— Faison. 23— Seven Springs. 24— LaGrange. 25— Snow Hill. Third Party. January 13—Hertford. 14— Currituck Court-House. 15— Jarvisburg. 16— Elizabeth City. 17— Camden. 18— Salem. 20— Gatcsvllle. 21— Wlnton. 22.—llurfreesboro. 23— Lasker. 24— Rich Square. 25— Scotland Neck. By Special Arraysggingrit witli »J. R. Rives IVIade at tlie ConvcMition. FLOUR (PRICES IN COTTON—WOOD 30c. HIGHER.) Rich, creamy, lull patent Uncle Sam or Pride of Elysian Full pure white patent Diamond 4.60 A fine white flour, good and cheap, Select or Cyclone white Fish still running—100 lbs. $.^,00 ; 6 lbs now 35c. $4 70 SPRING SEEDS NOW MOVING. 4.60 Seed Rye - - - - . .85 Kansas Buit Oats, fancy. .62 4.35 Black Oats - - - - - .50 Tennessee Burt Oats . - .56 White Seed Oats - - - .46 Appier Oats - - - - .70 Red Rust Proof Oats .48 ASK FOR CAXALOGUE ON EVERYTHING TO EAT FOR M AN OR BEAST. RICHMOND GRAIN AND PROVISION COMPANY, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. HBU ■rfwiriifir rv I
The Carolina Union Farmer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 2, 1913, edition 1
6
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