For a number of years the Agricultural Extension Division, co-operat- 

 ing with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, has been conducting 

 contest work with boys and girls in Minnesota. Many successful state 

 wide and local contests have been held and much interest aroused among 

 the young people. At many fairs, farmers' club meetings, and other 

 gatherings, the boys and girls have been given demonstrations in bread 

 making, canning, selecting seed corn, and other interesting and valuable 

 lines of work. Last year there were 10,940 Minnesota boys and girls 

 enrolled in all projects, divided as follows: bread 3,500, corn 2,300, po- 

 tato 1,260, pig 680, and gardening and canning 3,000. When one realizes 

 the number of persons interested in these activities, he must be im- 

 pressed with the magnitude and importance of interesting the young 

 folks in such valuable work. 



The Minnesota State Horticultural Society has taken a deep interest 

 in the boys and girls who are taking hold of gardening and canning 

 work. One hundred dollars in prizes are offered by this society in 1917, 

 mostly in the form of free trips to the next annual meeting of the society, 

 to aid and stimulate more boys and girls in garden activities. Doubt- 

 less this is the most important work ever undertaken by this society in 

 actively supporting the young folks in horticultural work. 



In connection with the prizes offered, provision has been made for 

 the organization of the Junior Horticultural Club as one of the af- 

 filiated organizations of the Horticultural Society, membership to con- 

 sist of such of these enrolled in the gardening project maintained by 

 the Agricultural Extension Division of the University of Minnesota, 

 boys and girls who pay the annual fee of fifty cents, through their local 

 or state leader, for membership in the Junior Club. In return, each will 

 receive the monthly magazine, the Minnesota Horticulturist, published by 

 the Horticultural Society, and some seed or plants free. This means 

 that each will receive much more in value than is contributed. Besides 

 the general horticultural articles in the magazine, there will be a special 

 page devoted to timely gardening notes for the members of the Junior 

 Horticultural Club. 



BOYS' AND GIRLS' GARDENING AND CANNING PROJECT— 



Outline of garden and canning contest: 



Boys and Girls — Age 10 to 18, inclusive. 



Project: To grow a garden of a few standard varieties of vegetables 

 and to learn to can and market the products. Size of garden from one 

 square rod to one-tenth of an acre. 



What the club members must agree to do: 



1. Follow carefully all instructions sent, especially those relating 

 to management of club plat, care, marketing, and canning products. 



2. Keep an accurate financial account of all items of expense and 

 receipts. Keep a record of interesting points connected with all work. 



3. Fill out the regular crop blank, using pen and ink, and send 

 to local leader or state leader before November 1st, 1917. (The local 

 leader must forward all reports received to the state leader by 6 p. m., 

 November 15, 1917). 



4. Give a written story, "My Garden Work." 

 Basis of awards: 



1. Quality of products produced 30 



2. Quality of products canned 25 



3. Cost of growing and canning products.. 25 



4. Story "My Garden Work" 20 



100 

 Send enrollment of clubs and names of new members and write for 

 further information to T. A. Erickson, State Leader of Boys' and Girls' 

 Clubs, University Farm, St. Paul, Minn. 



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