50 The Bulletin 



That is the point: those who spend their time "gabbling" and running 

 about have not sufficient time to commune with the people of big brain 

 power who present their thoughts on paper, and this to my mind is one of 

 the strong reasons why well-to-do farmer folks are pretty clear thinkers, as 

 a class. 



As one of the older sons went with me up to the quiet chamber, we stopped 

 a minute at the door of the boys' room, and there the young fellows were 

 buried in woolen blankets, sleeping so bully, with the big windows wide open, 

 allowing for absolutely free circulation of the fresh night air. They had a 

 rule that they should take turns building the fire and shutting the windows 

 in the morning, and I could hear the groans the next morning of the young 

 buck whose turn had come that extra cold morning. My room was — as were 

 all the other rooms I saw — clean and furnished with the plainest, most sub- 

 stantial furnishings; in fact, useless fads were conspicuous by their absence 

 over the entire house. 



As we started for the breakfast room In the morning there were only men 

 and boys from the front part of the house; the girls all coming in with the 

 mother from the kitchen, where each had done her part in the preparation 

 of the plain, substantial meal, the cooking of which reflected great credit 

 upon the chief cook and her able assistants. 



I had thought to speak of the well cared for lawn; the fine strawberry 

 patch, from which one of the small girls told me they sold enough to pay 

 for all the material used in making the girls' summer gowns; the fine sheep; 

 the great bunch of hogs fattening for market; the carload of steers just 

 being started on full feed; the six splendid Jersey cows that paid the grocery 

 bill of the family; the big tool house full of the best machinery; the com- 

 fortable cattle sheds, and the good fences. But my space will not permit of 

 this, and anyway these are the things you would expect to find outside, to 

 match conditions inside the home. What I do want to speak of, though, is 

 the "money crop" of this farm: two thousand bushels of sweet corn for seed, 

 the money from which was not to be touched for farm expenses, but was to 

 go to make the first payment on the adjoining farm that had just been pur- 

 chased. The oldest son told me of this, and when I looked at him and 

 winked, he nodded his head and blushed. 



Increasing Com Yield Per Acre. 



G. M. Gaeren, 



The average yield of corn in North Carolina ought to be at least just three 

 times rvhat it is. This proposition can be proved by figures and figures never 

 lie. According to the Bureau of Statistics the farmers of North Carolina in 

 1910 averaged 18.6 bushels of corn per acre. That same year 864 boys of 

 the Boys' Corn Clubs reported with an average yield of 58.7 bushels, viore 

 than three times as much. 



According to the same source of information in 1911 the farmers averaged 

 18.4 bushels. Two hundred and ninety-four boys reported an average of 

 67.69 bushels. More than three times as much. 



Next year, 1912, the farmers averaged 18.2 bushels. Six hundred and 

 thirty-five boys average 62.8. More than three times as much. 



In 1913 the farmers averaged 20 bushels. Six hundred and seventy boys 

 reported an average yield of 62.4 bushels. More than three times as much. 

 "Figures never lie." 



Some of the phenomenal yields made by the boys make thought-provoking 

 reading. In 1910 ten of the boys averaged over 130 bushels. Instead of ten 

 one-acre fields, make it one ten-acre field. Ten acres averaging 130 bushels 

 to the acre makes a 1,300 bushel corn crop. "Much heap big corn" from 

 a little land. Five of them averaged 140 bushels. A five-acre field — ^700 bush- 

 els of corn — who can beat it? This is an average of more than seven times 

 that of the general farmer. Next year three averaged over 150 bushels. A 

 three-acre field — 450 bushels of corn. It would require almost 25 acres of 

 the average farmer's land to produce as much corn. Which had you rather 



