AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 203, 27 July 1929, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

FEILDING DIVISION. ANNUAL MEETING. (Special to “Standard”). EEILDING, July 27. The annual general meeting of the committee controlling the Eeilding division of tho Boys and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs was held at Feilding yesterday, Mr W. L. Grice, chairman of the Feilding branch of the Farmers’ Union, presiding. Also present were Messrs E. 11. Lange and J. B. Hogg (Wanganui Education Board), L. J. Wild (principal, Feilding Agricultural High School), FI. W. Smith (Department of Agriculture). Jas. Knight, A. Campbell, J. FI. Mason, J. W. Batchelar, A. Lawson and A. Kidd. The chairman extended a welcome to Mr Woodyear-Smith, the departmental officer, and regretted that Mr J. Deom, also of the Department of Agriculture, could not bo present as well. In streaking to the report of tho judges (published yesterday), the chairman traced the history of the formation of the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs. In October, 1921, the Feilding branch of the Farmers’ Union was waited only by Mr Deem and Mr Banner, Wanganui Education Board instructors,, and Mr Schwass, of tho Agricultural Department, suggesting the formation of a boys’ and girls’ agricultural club and after the details of the object had been explained the branch enthusiastically accepted the proposal on the motion of Mr A. Campbell, then then chairman of the branch. It was decidod that the Feilding branch be the parent body, to be assisted by the A. and P. associations, tho primary school agricultural instructors, and the teachers of the various schools. In the first year, the chairman continued, tho number of schools competing was nine, and as to-day the number had grown to 46, and the plots total over 200, the growth of the movement spoko'for itself. The chairman proceeded to refer to the work of Mr E. 11. Lange, in connection with tho Erowth of tho clubs, recalling that Mr ange took over the duties of Mr Banner who left the district soon after the formation of the club, and the success of the undertaking was very largely due to Mr Lange’s acitivities. Mr Grice then went on to point out that some confusion had arisen lately in regard to the formation of the clubs, in that the movement had been confused with the Young Farmers’ Club, a kindred association which tho committee wished every success. Mr Grice said he had noticed a statement in the newspaper, made by a prominent member of an adjacent A. and P. association, attributing the work of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club to Mr L. J. Wild. This, of course, was far from correct, as Mr Wild and many others know, but the chairman wished to make the remark in fairness to Mr Lange. Mr Grice desired to thank all those associations and companies which had generously made donations to tho club, for without these donations the work of tho movement could not go on. To tho secretary, Mr J. Penney, tho chairman also tendered the thanks of the branch for his work, and then formally moved tho adoption of the report. Mr Campbell said that there was one point which occurred to him, and that was the part that Mr Doom had played in the formation of the clubs. .This gentleman had played a large part in inauggurating the movement locally, and with Mr Banner the project had been carried to fruition. , , . , , fruition. Mr Campbell also desired to pay a tribute to the work of Mr Lange. Mr Lawson said that wero it not for Mr Lange the movement in his (the speaker's) end of the district "would fade Tho report was then adopted.

VALUE OF THE CLUBS. In giving" a report of the year's proceedings Mi* Lange desired to point out the reference made in the report to the agricultural aspect and also the increase made in the weight of tho j)lots. To the speaker, it seemed only reasonable to assume that the increased weight shown was the outcome of tho work already done by tho club. That tho children were mot losing heart in their competitions was shown by the fact that at least one was in his fifth year as a competitor and eevoral others were in their fourth year. Tho present year also was unusual in that, for the first time, nativo children had completed the competition and plots of 80 tons per acre had been shown. Continuing, Mr Lange advocated the weighing of one row of each plot in February for the purpose of enabling comparison to bo made with the final weighings. It would also serve to show how much some plots altered from the February visit to the final weighing. Mr Wild observed that one of the chief advantages of the movement was the added impetus it had given to manuring in regard to cropping. He considered that tho idea to take a weighing of a row in February was a good move, and ho thought it was a matter which tho department could take up, and by analysis see if any extra food value was accumulated in tho root 3 between February, when some people lifted them, and in June when more were taken out. Mr Wild also wanted to correct the idea w'hich, perhaps, had got about through a remark recently made at a meeting of the Manawatu A. and P. Association. that he was responsible for the formation of tho agricultural clubs. Tho remark had been made in good faith but, the speaker went on, he had taken no notice of it until he saw it printed in a newspaper, when he intended to correct it at the first opportunity. Mr Wild thought that Mr Lange could not receive too much praise for liia work in this connection, for he was the guiding spirit of the movement locally. NEXT YEAR’S CROP. Discussing the type of crop for next year, Mr Smith said that ho had been informed by Mr Deem that potatoes had been introduced .in the South Island competitions and great success had been met with. The speaker thpught that tho inovo might be followed locally with satisfactory results. Mr Campbell was not in favour of departing from the present crops of mangolds and maize. If potatoes were introduced, diseases would have to be contended with and the work was hard enough now for the children without making it more so. Also, it hnd to be remembered that, if tho junior high schools wero instituted, the ago of tho children at primary schools would grow less, and the work should not be made tpo hard for them. Mr Hogg agreed with the previous speaker and favoured mangolds and carrots for the plots. In reviewing the use of different crops, Mr Lange said he would like the children to have the choice of a dozen crops, but he realised that, under the club’s group system of judging the crops, it would not do to have a variety in any one group, as it would mean that the judges would have to be there at various times of the year to get tho crops at maturity. Under tho circumstances, the speaker thought it best to keep to mangolds and maize. It was finally decided, on the motion of Mr Lange, that the crop for the ensuing year be mangolds or maize, or both, at the option of the school. Tho variety of the seeds to bo grown was then determined. GENERAL. It was decided to renew the representations to the present Government, and which were also inado to tho late Government, that the club’s funds bo subsidised on a £1 for £1 basis. On the motion of Mr Lange, votes of thanks wore accorded the teachers and supervisors for their co-operation in tho work of the movement, and also the Press for publishing the reports of the itinerary of the judges and the results.