DIG FOR VICTORY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 116, 11 February 1944, Page 3

DIG FOR VICTORY

Crowds At Exhibition Yesterday WINNERS OF TROPHIES

Positive proof of the popularity of the “Dig for Victory” Exhibition of vegetables nud flowers in the Wellington Town Hall may be had from the number of peopde who have already visited it. From the time the exhibition was opened at 3 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon till closing time at 10 p-m. no fewer than 5000 had been registered. Yesterday the rush continued unabated. By 5 p.m. the total fur the day had mounted to 0000; by 8 p.m. 9500 had been registered. People were then crodwing in at 45 to the minute.' Well over the 10,000 mark was passed by closing time. This total excludes those visitors who entered by side doors or elected to view the galleries first. It is expected that before the exhibition closes tonight nearly 30.000 dig for victory enthusiasts will have inspected it. lire estimating competitions are still attracting crowds of patrons. Possibly the most popular is guessing the weight of the outsize pumpkin. Guessers are permitted to take this pumpkin in their own hands before making an estimate. In addition to the list of prizes annduneed yesterday in “The Dominion the following trophies have been awarded Biggest Potato, first. Mrs. A. 8Bird lib. 14joz, second Mrs. J. Malts, 11b. 4|oz. Lady Myers Trophy, Miramar Horticultural Society. Mr. G. C. Clarke s Prize, John Hamilton. Rose Joseph Trophy, Wadestown Horticultural Society. Mrs. Charles Hames’ Prize, Mrs AHarris. Mr. G. S. Nicoll’s Prize. J. Aberuetbv. Errey Bros’ Trophy. W. E. Askworth. Miss M. Griffith’s Trophy, B. Maplcsden. Zenith Seed Co. Trophy, BMaplesden. Wellington Horticultural Society Trophy, T. It. Boyes. G. S. Nicol Trophy, T. R. Boyes. A. 7 J. Shailers Trophy. T. R. Boyes. NEW ZEALAND SEEDS One of the most- interesting displays in the “Dig for Victory” Exhibition at the town Hall is that of F. Cooper, Ltd.’s, well arranged containers of New Zealand-grown seeds -of many types and varieties. Thoughtful people viewing the many kinds of well-grown vegetables in the show itself, would wonder that New Zealand was: able to produce, under war conditions, so many seeds previously imported. There is a romance attached to the seed-growing industry, which would hold the attention of anyone. Years before the. war Coopers had experimented in selecting and. growing vegetable seeds of all types and in different localities. This foresight enabled them to build tip very important data that were, available used immediately war was.declared. The speeding up of production in this country is something that, is not generally realized and appreciated by the average user of seeds.. New Zealand has not been abort in vegetable seeds and has been able at short notice to supply seeds for the production of the very large quantities of vegetables required for the Armed. Forces within New Zealand and in the Solomons, as well as seeds for the huge canning and dehydrating projects. In addition Coopers have supplied large quantities of vegetable seeds to Australia, where’producers‘ were not so happily situated as in New Zealand., Furthermore, very large quantities of seed have been , sent to Great Britain. This has enabled gardeners to make the fullest use of vegetables'in replacement of other articles of food, which our kinsmen had in short supply or had to do without altogether. , . , . Foresight in the gathering ,of data, practical knowledge in applying these data to step-up production, modern methods of seed cleaning and conditioning. in a seed warehouse well equipped and comparing favourably with the most modern of its type in U.S.A. or in any other parts of the world, and as the quality of the vegetables exhibited proves, seed produced in New Zealand compares more than favourably with anything imported. It is interesting to note that the names of exclusive users of Cooper’s High-quality Seeds appear very 'prominently in the list of prizewinners in the “Dig for Victory” Exhibition. AU those vegetables displayed by the AVAV.S.A; were grown from Cooper s Seeds, which F, Cooper Ltd. have been pleased to donate to this very worthy ■cause since the beginning of the war. Those vegetables displayed by Miss M. N. Battersby were also another‘"testimony td the productive capacity of these high-quality New Zealand-grown Seeds. —P.B.A. ,