BOY FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 4

BOY FARMERS

mangold-growing in WAIRARAPA. The scheme of encouraging boys and girls to take an interest in agriculture, which has proved so successful mi ttie Taranaki district, has beeti successfully inaugurated in the AVairarapa. The Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union some time back initiated a mangold-growing competition for the Boys and Girls’ Agricultural Club. On Saturday last, an inspection was made of the vanous plots which had been planted, lhe party included: . Messrs. F. W.. Greenwood (Government Instructor in Agriculture), P. M. Compton (chairman of the committee), J. M. Smith (Assistant Government Instructor), W. Perry (Board of Agriculture), I. S. McHarg (agricultural master at the AA airarapa. • High School), D. Hebeiitoni (provincial secretary of the Farmers’ Union), and many others interested in.' the competition. The* plots were all prepared and manured for the competitors up to the. v time of planting, and the seed was supplied by the Agricultural DepartMr Greenwood, at the first plot visited, at Solway, said.that the schema was not experimental in any-way, put merely to teach the boys and girls the correct way in which to grow certain crops. Cultivation -was the ulterior principle underlying the success of any plot, as the average sod had 10 times as much plant food as the plant required, and it was only a waste of money continually using manures if the ground was not being properly ciiltivateU. U© was pleased with the work that had been put inon the plot, and the boy had every reason to be proud of his efforts. Mr. AV. Perry said that one good point' of thei competition was that it was going to be a great education to the' bovs and girls, and m after life Would ‘help i-o make them P’ act!cal farmers. He liad. been trying to get the Government to assist with a little more funds, and with the right r.en nt rhe bead he was sure rhe club was going to be a great success. After having inspected the plots, Mr. Greenwood said he was more than satisfied with the results, which were excellent for the first year.