THE ZEBULON RECORD, ZEBULON, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24th, 1938.
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FARM NOTES
J. E. McINTIRE
BRIEFLY SPEAKING
Mr. Mclntire, accompanied by
four of his students, Shelby Al
ford, Harvey Parrish, Wilmer Ed
dins, J. D. Murry, spent Friday in
Raleigh where they attended the
Tri-State Farmers Rally.
Norris Hales was selected to
make a talk to the Wendell Ag.
boys on the plans that were for
mulated to make the annual Fa
ther and Son banquet one of the
most successful ever held in
Wakelon. This talk was made in
response to an invitation from
Mr. Callahan, Wendell Vocational
Agriculture Advisor.
MINING SOIL IS UNSOUND
Unless the farm lands of the
country are handled in such away
as that productivity is kept at a
constantly good level, both the fu
ture of agriculture and the future
of the nation are threatened. It
is shortsighted to follow such
practices as will meet the present
day needs at the expense of the
needs of tomorrow. In other
words, mining the soil is unsound,
particularly from the long time
point of view. Farmers, however,
cannot be blamed if the economic
structure is such that they neces
sarily overwork their land in or
der to meet the needs of a high
standard of living with low price
commodities. Again it is very im
portant from a national point of
view that agriculture receives that
portion of the national income
which will make it possible for the
farmers to adequately conserve
the natural and national resources
in the form of soil and water.
Grass the most important of all
crops, has been the most neglect
ed.
The cotton seed crop this year—
estimated by the Bureau of Agri
cultural Economics at about 8,-
300,000 tons, sets an all-time high
production record.
The Y. T. H. F. boys wish to
thank Mr. Vickers of the City Mar
ket, who made the slaw for their
banquet at no charge other than
the ingredients.
Thanks are also extended to
Mr. Scarboro who loaned the cups
and saucers and to the Woman’s
Club for silver. The boys say it
is really a job to clan a meal and
all the accompanying details in
volved, for 129 persons. The boys
did all the work, and did a good
job too.
The Ag boys are keenly interest
ed in keeping their individual
score cards up to date. Mr. Mcln
tire has offered a prize of SIO.OO
to the boy making the highest
score. This award will be made
on the last day of school.
FATHER AND SON BANQUET
The Wakelon Chapter of the Y.
T. H. F. were hosts to their Dads
at their annual Father and Son
Banquet February 17, 1938. The
guests were welcomed in the gym
at six o’clock,where they spent a
pleasant half-hour in conversa
tion, and many enjoyed a visit to
the Agricultural Department in
the high-school building. Prompt
ly at six-thirty, the Future Farm
er March was played by Miss King
and the boys escorted their guests
to the school cafeteria, where cov
ers were laid for 129. The tables
were decorated with the official
FFA colors. Miss Palmer, Home
Economics teacher, assisted by 13
of her pupils served the meal. The
following program was presented,
Norris Hales, FFA President, act
ing as toastmaster:
Future Farmer March—
“ Faith of Our Fathers.”
Invocation—Rev. Carl L. Ous
ley.
Opening Exercises—Officers of
the Chapter.
Song—Elwood Perry and Staf
fin Pearce.
Toast to our Dads—Buddy Gay.
Response—Dr. Massey,
Solo—Elwood Perry.
Toast to the Faculty—Fred
Chamblee.
Response—Mr. Moser.
‘‘That Silver-Haired Daddy of
Mine”—Elwood Perry and Staffin
Pearce.
Toast to the Home Ec Teacher
and Girls —Hilliard Denton.
Response—Viola Hopkins.
Future Farmers’ Creed—Shelby
Alford.
Solo —Staffin Pearce.
What Vocational Agriculture
Means to a Boy—Talmage Gay.
Some Facts on Vocational Agri
culture—J. E. Mclntire.
Duet —Elwood Perry and Staf
fin Pearce.
Closing Ceremony Chapter
Members.
Charles Winstead, Pianist.
By HORACE GAY.
These articles were written by
two school boys. They have good
ideas about what should be done.
Watch for more of these articles
by the boys.
BEAUTIFYING THE SCHOOL
GROUNDS
There are a lot of things that
could be done to beautify the
Wakelon school grounds, such as:
Fixing the roadway all the way
around in front of the old and new
buildings, and continued on out
to the Northeast corner of the
school property, and there go out
to the highway. The grove in
front of the baseball diamond
would be a lot prettier if there
was a drainage system there.
Some of the old trees need to be
cut down. Another important
thing which should be done is to
level out the grounds, and sow
grass. I think a large aquarium
in front of the old building with a
fountain would be pretty.
I believe if the suggestions will
be put in motion the agriculture
boys will have a job, and we will
have a much prettier school to go
to.
ELLIE WATSON.
BEAUTIFYING OUR SCHOOL
The main thing to improve our
schools is to improve the shrub
bery. Some should be re-arranged,
pruned and transplanted in better
order. We should not plant all
shrubs, but some flowers, some
thing to improve our grounds dur
ing the winter, we need some ever
greens, winter grass could be sown
The school ground should be lev
eled, so as not to have gullies and
washed places in the drives. The
trees in front of the buildings need
pruning badly. Plant some new
small trees, and let it be known
that there is some life in our
school environment, not only in
the buildings, but in the grounds.
The little folks need more play
ground equipment.
Ten things that should be done:
1: Planting and pruning.
2. Drainage and leveling of
grounds.
3. Planting of winter grass.
4. Cleaning of fish pool.
5. Co-operate with the Clean
up committee, keep paper and all
trash off the grounds.
6. Have outside so attractive
that a passerby will know what to
expect inside.
7. All work to raise the stan
dard of our school. We want
twelve grades; do our work in
such a manner that members of
the school board will always be in
terested in our activities.
8. Everyone fall in line with
Mr. Mclntire and Mr. Moser in
their plans, and then come around
and see what we are doing.
9. Build the Y. T. H. F. Club
room. We want it very much.
10. Just watch Wakelon wake
up and shine in more ways than
one.
ERIC PERRY.
INTEREST IN EVENING
CLASSES CONTINUES
TO INCREASE
The local farmers attending the
evening classes show keen inter
est; and the class continues to
increase. The topic for discus
sion is the 1938 crop control bill.
Questions are asked by the men,
and lively discussions are in order.
The meeting day has been changed
to Tuesday, in order that those in
terested in the “Jack pot” draw
ing at the theatre may attend.
Come out next Tuesday at seven
P. M. We will be glad to have
you meet with us.
NEW FARM PROGRAM DE
SIGNED TO STABILIZE
CROP PRICES
The new farm bill recently en
acted into law, will loose a dou
ble-barrelled attack on soil losses
and crop surpluses.
The Agricultural Conservation
program, which has already been
mapped out and placed before the
farmers, will be continued along
with payments to growers who
carry out soil building practices.
Included in the new Act are pro
visions designed to control surplus
es of tobacco, cotton, wheat, rice
and corn. Through the control of
bumper crops, it is expected that
farm income will be improved.
In addition, the new Act intends
to protect the consumer as well as
the farmer. By storing away sur
plus wheat and then releasing it
when necessary a fairly constant
level will be maintained. Also
crop insurance will be provided
wheat growers.
Under the Agricultural Conser
vation program, North Carolina’s
flue-cured tobacco allotment for
1938 will be 570,000 to 580,000
acres, while the cotton allotment
is 902,525 acres.
One of the provisions of the
new farm legislation calls for the
establishment of marketing quotas
on the five basic crops if supplies
reach top heavy levels. After the
Secretary of Agriculture announc
es that quotas will be clamped
on a particular crop, growers of
that commodity will be given a
chance to express their approval
or disapproval in a referendum. If
more than one-third of the farmers
vote against the quota, it will not
be effective.
A referendum among producers
of flue-cured tobacco has already
been called. Should the voters
vote favorably North Carolina’s
qouta would be close to 500,000,000
pounds or about 70 per cent of the
total. Any farmer who grew to
bacco in 1937 will be eligible to
vote.
Because of the bumper cotton
crop last year which resulted in a
huge carry over, the Secretary
has announced that quotas will be
placed on this crop. As in the
case of tobacco, farmers will be
given a chance to express their
wishes.
Burley tobacco quotas will not
be effective at the present time,
but if a large 1938 crop should
result before the opening of mar
kets next fall, quotas will be pro
claimed.
Acreage allotments are separate
from marketing quotas under the
act. Most of the acreage allot
ments have already been set up
der the Agricultural Conservation
program. They were determined
after a detailed study had been
made of the supply on hand and
the amount of the crop which
farmers might produce in 1938 to
bring reasonable prices.
For instance after taking a look
at the large crop of flue-cured to
bacco in 1937 which resulted in an
unusually heavy carry-over, it
was decided that growers could
not plant more than 570,000 to
580,000 acres in North Carolina
this year if they wished to keep
market prices up. Thus the al
lotment was set between those
figures.
The marketing quota becomes
effective if the Secretary sees
that the allotment will be exceed
ed. North Carolina’s quota for
flue-cured leaf will be divided up
among tobacco-producing coun
ties, then apportioned to commun
ities, and finally down to individu
al farms.
Marketing in excess of the quo
ta established becomes subject to
penalty. Supplies withheld un
der the quotas may be released
under certain conditions to meet
any need that might develop. The
Act will be administered locally
as have the other programs in the
past.
Never bother to tell people how
wise you are; they will find it
out.
❖ «$►
♦♦♦ USE ON IMPROVE £
TOBACCO LAND LIME QUALITY, COLOR A
+£ Car Ixiad Lime Just Arrived. Use on Tobacco land, in-
Y crease the yield, texture and quality. Nothing better. «£►
Y Fertilizer, Soda, Meal. Hay, Hulls, Tobacco Canvas,
Onion Sets, Potatoes, Garden Seed, Cabbage Plants,
Garden Peas, All kind Seeds, by weight or Packets y
% A. G. KEMP Zebulon, N. C. %
HOW VOCATIONAL AGRICUL
TURE HELPS A BOY
By TALMADGE GAY
Vocational Agriculture became a
part of rural school systems in
1917 with the passage of the
Smith-Hughes Bill, the U. S. Gov
ernment matching funds with the
states so that the teaching of Vo
cational Agriculture might be
taught in all states and in the
possessions of the United States.
To be a pupil in Agriculture in
spires a boy in many ways. He
must be honest and dependable.
To be a candidate for any team
scholarship is also considered in
making the selection. We are
all proud to be selected, we work
hard, and we are determined to
put forth sufficient effort to en
able us to make the trip to Kansas
City next year to the annual stock
judging contest. We all realize
that we must work in order to be
selected.
All practice work is supervised,
we are taught improved farm
practices. We are also taught the
skillful use of farm tools; the
care and repair of farm machin
ery.
We are trained in leadership ac
tivities; each chapter member
serves on at least one committee
during the year. We receive prac
tice in leading discussions, we
compete in all contests for im
provement. There is ample oppor
tunity for chapter members to re
ceive training that will enable
them to become leaders in their
communities.
Chapter members keep accurate
cost and sales records, thus enab
ling them to become acquainted
with the value and proper use of
money. We use business methods
and forms in all our project deal
ings.
For a boy to get the most out of
his course his father must co-op
erate with him. A boy likes the se
cure feeling he has when he
knows his Dad is behind him. To
help and advise when necessary.
If fathers do co-operate it stimu
lates the boy to take a more active
part in chapter activities.
We boys appreciate the good
work done by our former teacher,
Mr. D. R. Senter. We were sorry
to have him leave us. He w r as re
placed by Mr. Mclntire, whom we
all like. We know he is for us, so
we are for him, too; we plan to
put the Wakelon Chapter on the
map. We like our work, and we
are going to do our best.
Our ritual birefly sums an Ag
student’s aims in these few words:
To pratcice brotherhood, honor ru
ral opportunities and responsibili
ties and develop those qualities of
leadership which a Future Farmer
should possess.
Mrs. J. S. Mitchell is planning
to raise chickens this year on a
biggejr scale than usual. Her
sons have made her a brooder
house of willow poles, the cracks
daubed, and the whole thing snug
and warm. She is going to buy
some hatchery biddies as well as
setting a hen to stepmother
the bought chicks and be mother to
the ones she will hatch.
JAPAN SEES SILK LOSS
Yokohoma, Japan.—Without ref
erence to the American buyers’
strike, it is admitted hat exports
of raw silk from Japan to the
United States in 1937 dropped 48,-
040 bales from the 1936 figures.