ROOT CROPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 18 June 1926, Page 10

ROOT CROPS.

SCHOOL COMPETITIONS. AUROA PLOTS. One of the best days yet experienced in the south among the plots of, the boys and girls was that round Auroa, covered by the judges (Messrs Glasson and Syrne) on Wednesday. It was good because not only was the weather gloriously fine, but as in many other districts a number of the parents turned -out and showed a keen interest in the work, and there was also a high general average all round. One crop secured the maximum for cultivation, and several others were close up to that figure, while there was an excellent lot of charts, said by Mr Syme to be one of the highest all round of all the districts, and some very good yields were ,seen. These facts all conspired to make the day interesting to the visitors and profitable to the youngsters, for many object lessons were by observation taught to them als they looked round the plots. One specially interesting feature of the day’s work was the appearance of a plot' considered by the judges as a model on which all could actually look as 'something to which they should work, and which they found impossible to fault. It was the' mangold plot of Robert Lyndon, of the Upper Auroa road. Set in a surrounding of chou moellier—it was situated, in, a corner of the paddock—no doubt the close growth of the French cabbage had acted as a shelter from the windls of that .rather severe district. The cultivation was practically perfect, gaining the maximum, deep iand intensive, just what the departmental instructor has been preaching to the youngsters ever since the clubs were instituted. It was but natural he should have said after judgment had been passed “work up to Lyndon’s as a model.”

There were a number of others not far off the model, G. and I. Kirk, P. and K. Symes, and K. and D. Brown being only a point or two below the main. Quality throughout ivas good, and all gained eight or seven points — none lower —out of ten. There were no exceptionally heavy crops, hut one of mangolds was just below 80 tons and several others quite good, and three of the four plots of carrots turned the scale at just on 40 tons and one nearly 44.

By the -worst of bad luck for one boy, three pigs broke into his patch the night he-fore judging, and- absolutely spoilt what looked a very fair crop, well cultivated. There were quite a number of parents with the party, including Mr Robert Dunn, who was as keenly interested as any one present. They and the competing boys and girls went round in the party. The boys worked remarkably well in digging and preparing the roots, and saved, a great, deal of time and labour, making the work of the rest comparatively light. The party pulled up at Mr W. F. Lyndon's homestead, and were entertained at dinner by Mr Lyndon and family in the absence of Mrs Lyndon. This attention was very much appreciated 1 by all, and was duly acknowledged at the close of the day. Before separating, Mr Symo drew i special attention to the excellence of the charts, 12 averaging 43 points out l-ul I. He said he hoped in future years the competitors would add to this by getting better average yields. Mr Glasson expressed' thanks to the parents who had turned up and assisted by taking the party and the children round the plots. He .said they had never been better assisted. He moved also a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr Lynclon for his kindly hospitality. Mr Robert Dunn said how pleased he, as a member of the union, was to see the increased interest shown by parents, which was yearly growing more cordial, and he hoped to see them next year and also other parents. He urged young competitors to see that the blanks in rows were filled, by lifting seedlings from thick parts to the ‘‘spare parts,” and also to get their parents as early as possible to set apart a plot for next year and get it in order early, working it up well and putting on cowyard manure where mangolds were to be grown,. A fine tilth, he added, was the only way to secure good results, because it gave the moisture a chance to come to the top, so that when seeds were planted they came away at once. Of this he hoped fathers would always “tak’ tent.’’ Results were asi below, maximum points being as before, 40 for cultivation, 10 for quality and 50 for chart.

MANGOLDS. R-. Lyndon : 79 tons 17 cwt—cultivation 40, quality 8, chart 43; total 1703 points. ' P. Symes: 63 tons 19 cwt —cultivation 38, quality 8, chart 44; total 1533I. Kirk : 63 tons 6 cwt —cultivation 37, quality 8, chart 45; total 153 J. K. Brown: 49 tons —cultivation 35, quality 8, chart 43; total 135. B. Bradford: 41 tons 15 cwt—cultivation 36, quality 7, chart 43; total 1273. L. West: 42 tons 2 cwt —cultivation 33. quality 7, chart 43; total 125. H. Mace: 36 tons 10 cwt—cultivation 28. quality 7, .chart 40; total 111-J-. 0. Mace: 25 tons 14 cwt —cultivation 28, quality 7, chart 45; 1051. CARROTS, G. Kirk: 43 tons, 12 cwt —cultivation 38, quality 7, chart 41; total 1293 points-. K. Symes: 39 tons 17 cwt—cultivation 38, quality 8, chart 42; total 1273D. Brown: 39 tons 17 cwt—cultivation 36, quality 8, chart 42; total 1253F. Atkinson: 28 tons 18 cwt —cultivation 35, quality 7, chart 42; total 1123AT MATAPU. Though • the weather conditions on Tuesday were very unpleasant in the early part of the day, the inspection brought the compensation of seeing one particularly heavy crop of mangolds, topping 100 tons, and grown bv .H. Willis; and two exceedingly good plots of carrots —63 tons, grown by N. Hocken, and 58 tons, grown by J. Donald. These rank as the highest yet seen in the district, and speak volumes for the work of the young competitors. Cultivation also was a strong feature of the woi'k generally, H. Willi-s securing the maximum, and practically all the rest being close up to him. Charts, as will be seen, were exceptionally good, the average of 12 submitted being no less than 44 out of 50. Despite the unfavourable conditions, the children of the higher standards went round with the party and stuck it out in all the rain and cold, both of which were exceedingly severe.