FARMERS’ COMPETITIONS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 6 August 1930, Page 10

FARMERS’ COMPETITIONS

ENSILAGE AND HAY

TOKAORA DISTRICT

A most creditable list of entries in the, ensilage and bay competitions held under the aegis of the Tokaora branch of the Farmers’ Union was judged yesterday by Alessrs J. AI. Smith and «J. \y Palmer, of the Agriculture Departwho were exceedingly pleased with the general average of excellence in quality and building shown by the competitors. As they went wound, the judges made very useful and practical comments and also, answered a host of questions put tra them by members present. The. muster of farmers was very creditable, about 25 following round and spending a most useful day looking at each other’s work and listening to the judges’ remarks. There were no less than eleven entries in ensilage,' all but one being in pits, and five in hay, while three more were withdrawn. The level of points awarded was, on the average, very good 1 and even, with only a few points between first and last. The maxima were: Ensilage (pit), quality 70. cover 10. waste 20; ensilage (stack), 60, To. 25; and in hay, quality 55, condition. 20, building 25. The results, were as follow :

Ensilage (pit)

At the conclusion tiie president of the branch (Mr H. Thrush) thanked the judges for their good work and said the committee was pleased to see so many present. He said the farmers secured many useful and practical hints on the making of ensilage and hay and hoped that next year the entries would be so large as to require two days. He also cordially thanked the ladies, Mesdames H. D. Macdonald and T. J. Allan, for providing and .serving luncheon. Acknowledging the vote of thanks, Mr Smith congratulated the farmers, stating that there were more pits judged than in any part of Taranaki and that the general average was very high, especially in ‘‘freedom from' 'waste." He added that the average points in quality dropped a little and that in some cases better results would be obtained by cutting the material a bit earlier He said that in building and in topping there was room for improvement. but 'Otherwise they wore excellent. Remarking on the quality. Mr Smith said that altogether depended on the quality of the material used, but he realised that in doing the work, ns farmers operated largely in gangs, they were dependent to some extent on the weather. He added that lucerne cut at the right time was as good ns meadow li'nv. and of that there was no doubt, if lucerne or grass was left too long it became coarse and stalky. At middav luncheon was enjoyed at the hall and cordially appreciated. At the interval Mr Thrush announced that Mr Tv. Gorringe. Government instructor in. pig husbandry, would give a lecture at Toknorn on Tuesday, August- 19.

F. W. Phillips 66 8 16 90 H Tavlor 64i S 17 S91 H Jordan 65 8 16 89 T. J. V Ilian 64 8 17 89 H. D. Macdonald ... 63 8 17 88 S. J. Bennett 62 8 17 S7 H. V. Ward 62 S 16 86 R. H. Jones 61 8 17 S6 Mi -,s C. R. Welts ... 61 S 16 85 H. Bitter 60 s 16 84 Ensi 1 age. (sta ck). H. E. Johnson 61 11 18 so Hays tael :a. H. V. Ward 51 16 22 89 H. u Jolinson 52 .16 20 88 S. J. Bennett 52 .14 21 87 F. W. Phillips 51 14 20 85 Mi •s O. R. Wells ... 49 lo 20 84