MANGOLD GROWING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 256, 26 September 1933, Page 5

MANGOLD GROWING

'RONGOTEA BOY’S ACHIEVEMENT. CUP PRESENTED TO MASTER M. LIND. With the presentation of the AV. Stuart Wilson Challenge Cup of the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs’ root-growing section for his champion crop of mangolds, Master Alurray Lind, at the Rongotea School, yesterday, received congratulations from district, residents, the Department of Agriculture, the Education Board and the school. The presentation was made in one of the class-rooms before the assembled children. Master Lind was presented with a photograph of the cup and a medal, and the cup is held by the Department of Agriculture. Tho chair was occupied by Air L. H. Ya.rrall, who, in introducing the various speakers, apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr Sexton, who had been confined to his home with a slight attack of influenza. Mr Yarrall said that nothing succeeded like success, and he hoped that the success gained by Master Lind would be repeated by him in later life. Continuing, he said that when he had come to Rongotea 28 years ago the Government had been urging farmers to grow mangolds, hut they had thought that it was ridiculous to grow them except as feed for fowls or pigs. But that had been changed, and now there was the cup for the champion crop of mangolds in the whole of New Zealand coming to the district. He regretted that there had not been a greater attendance of the people of Rongotea and that there had not been the mothers and fathers of the school children present with the fanners of tho district. He congratulated Master Lind on his success and said that he hoped this would pave the way to a successful career as a farmer. In referring to Master Lind as the champion crop-grower of the Bovs’ and Girls’ Clubs of New Zealand, Mr AV. J. McCulloch, Fields Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, said that tho conditions of the donation of the cup stated that it was open for competition among growers of any crop. It was significant that it had been awarded for a crop of 1631 tons of mangolds to tho acre, whereas a crop of potatoes in the South Island had reached the phenomenal figure of 40 tons to the acre. The judge had evidently thought that a crop ot 163 j tons of mangolds to the acre wa.s of more value than a crop of 40 tons of potatoes. Air AlcCullocli said that he would congratulate, besides Alaster Lind, the headmaster and his staff, and a.lso Master Lind’s parents. .Without their interest the club could not have been carried on to the great success it was to-day. It would not be fair to Bliss out the supervisors, said AJr AlcCulloch, and lie made special reference to the work of Air AV. J. Croucher, especially in relation to the organisation of the calf club section of the movement. He read a copy of a letter from Dr. C. J. Iteakes, the head of his department, congratulating Alaster Lind on his success and commenting that it must have taken much thorough and = painstaking work to produce the champion yield. It was an outstanding achievement. The schools competitions had increased the growing of mangolds in the district and the same could be said of Hawke’s Bay. There had been not only an increased area devoted to the growing of the roots in Hawke’s Bay, but in the areas already growing mangolds there had been an increased yield. He was inclined to think that the Boys’ and Girls’ Club activities had taught them there, too. It was right that in a country like New Zealand wo should give some attention to agricultural education. The Boys’ and Girls’ Club movement was spreadingit was the “thin edge of the wedge,” and their work was very important. It had been recognised as such by the Government and he referred to the granting of subsidies for the continuance of the work. The action of the Alinister had been taken even when it had been made quite clear that the clubs were willing to carry on without the subsidies. Residents of the Alanawatu district should be proud of the fact that the trophy had been held here more than once. Air AlcCullocli then handed the cup and photograph to Alaster Liinl, who was roundly a.pplauded. A r ALUE OF CROP.

If pollard were worth £G 15s a ton then mangolds were worth 15s a ton, and Alaster Lind’s crop would lie worth £122 10s an acre, said Mr It. P. Connell, instructor in the Department of Agriculture. He apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr E. H. Lange,, of the AA r anganui Education Board staff. Although the mangolds had been grown on good land they were worth more than twice the value of the land. It had been a phenomenally good crop, but it was interesting to ask what the ordinary farmer would expect as a yield. He knew of crops of over GO tons to the acre in the district, but the average was about 40 tons. It was probably less. In farmers’ competitions 18 crops had been weighed, and they liad averaged G 3 tons. Those competitions had been held over the same district as the Rongotea section of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club. They were hoping that the club results would drive the average of the farmers up to 60 tons to the acre. It looked as if such might be the case, as in 154 entries in the boys’ and girls’ competitions in that district the average had been' 67J tons to the acre last year. AVhen he was looking up the figures he found that eight years ago the average for the district was 37 tons in the boys’ and girls’ competitions and four years ago the average was 52} tons. Last year it had risen to 67$ tons. He would also ask: Could they learn anything from such a great performance as that of Alaster Lind’s ? They knew from it that they would have to give the mangolds plenty of water, and the most effective way of using water was by cultivation. There had to be early cultivation and thorough cultivation afterwards. Tho later surface cultivation had to he constant and the weeds had to be kept in check as they used the water that should all be going to the mangolds. In referring to the other - branch of the movement, the calf clubs, Air Connell said that it was no good growing good crops of mangolds if they were not used effectively, and the point the children had to make to-day was that good crops should be used for good stock. It was for such an end that Air Croucher .and men in the Government’s service spent much of their time and money. If they (the children) were to become farmers lie hoped that they would learn lessons from their club competitions and carry that learning into practice when they went on the land. Air Connell congratulated Alaster Lind on his splendid achievement. ‘ , Congratulations on behalf of the AA’anganui Education Board were ex-

tended by Colonel J. H. Wliyte, who said it was a credit to the district that Master Lind had won the cup. Mr Croueher. the supervisor of the stock section of the Boys’ and Girls’ Calf Club movement in the iiongotea area, congratulated Master Lind on his performance, and Mr and Mrs Lind as well. He was sure that the people of Rongotea had very good reason to be proud of the honour, that had come to the town with the winning of the cup bv a boy attending the school. He referred to the disappointing attendance and expressed the wish that it had been greater. Mr L. J. Walker, headmaster of the school, also congratulated Master Lind. Mrs Croueher then pinned the medal, which Master Lind retains, on his coat lapel. Mr C. M. Lind, father ot tire cup-winner, expressed thanks on his behalf, and also thanked these who had attended from Palmerston North to make the presentation.