Rural School Leaflet 



973 



in the way of good working methods, intelligent business practices, 

 cooperative intercourse, increased community spirit, and the development 

 of the individual. Therefore they are worthy of serious consideration 

 and faithful trial. 



CROP-GROWING CONTESTS 



E. G. Montgomery and E. R. Minns 



T present there are a number of agricultural 



contests that have been organized in the State 



for the purpose of growing some crop to 



be exhibited later in the season at a central 



place. 



Inquiry has come to hand asking 

 for information about contests of this 

 kind, how they should be organized and 

 conducted, what kinds of crops to use, what 

 sort of records to keep, and problems in 

 connection with the exhibition, the premium 

 list, and the general program. 



Contests of this kind are not new, for 

 agricultural competitions have been con- 

 ducted for many years among farmers and 

 occasionally among farm boys. However, 

 the first systematic efforts to organize contests 

 in a general way began in some of the 

 'Western States about ten years ago. Various 

 plans of organization were adopted, but, in 

 general, the attempt was made to organize 

 the boys of a county for the purpose of 

 growing some kind of crop for competitive 

 exhibition at a central place in the fall. 



In the Western States corn has been well adapted for this purpose and 

 is generally used, although in some cases other crops, such as potatoes, 

 sugar beets, and other vegetables, and in a few cases small grains, have 

 also been grown for contests. 



The movement has had a very rapid development in the Southern 

 States in the last few years, under the direction of agents from the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. The county is usually the unit of 

 organization. In some cases the prize-winning material from the county 

 contests is sent on to the state contests later in the season. In some 

 States as many as 15,000 boys are now organized and each boy is growing 



