THE POTATO COMPETITION AT KAITAIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8629, 27 July 1891, Page 3

THE POTATO COMPETITION AT KAITAIA.

The prize of £10 offered by the local Agricultural Association is likely to be veil competed for. Nearly every settler annually plants a small patch of potatoes, bub very few of them give the crop sufficient attention to ensure its being a good and payable one. If those who compete for the prizes j should be able to see clearly that a quarter : of an acre of land, well cultivated, will give a much better return than several j acres farmed in a slovenly manner, a last- j ing good will be done to the district. Some of the committee wished the competition restricted to one sorb of potato, Hobartown; but one of the principal objects of the promoters of the competition is to find outwhich kind of potato will do best in the county of Mangonui. To prevent the dissatisfaction that would arise if any one or two persons were appointed to inspect and certify to the weight, etc., of the competing crops, it has been suggested that where six or seven competitors live near together, Messrs. A and B should certify to Mr. C's crops ; B and C to D's ; C and I) to E's, and so on. This would save time, and avoid the expense of paid inspectors, and as each competitor would do an equal share of. [ the inspecting, etc., no one could reason-. ! ably grumble. For isolated settlers the I committee would have to make other ' arrangements. A false report has * been industriously circulated through the district that no £10 would be given, so ib is a good thing that the committee have extended the time for receiving entries till Saturday, August 29, 1891. The following are the amended regulations for County of Mangonui £10 prize for heaviest potato crop : —l. Each competitor to send his name and address to Mr. P. Murray, Kaitaia, secretary to the Agricultural Association, on or before Saturday, August 29, 1891, with an entrance fee of 5s for members, and 10s for non-members of the association. (The Oruru committee to appoint someone to receive, on same date, entries and fees for Oruru and Mangonui districts.) 2. Each competitor to give to the secretary a rough sketch or plan, showing the location of the quarter-acre on which the competing crop is to be grown. 3. No potatoes to be planted within half a chain of the competing crop, which must be grown on the quarter-acre marked on the j plan given to the secretly. 4. Two weeks' | notice to be given to the secretary before [ the crop is taken out. All potatoes must be free from soil when weighed. 5. Crop to be dug and weighed on the ground in the presence of two witnesses appointed by the committee, both of whom must certify in writing to the weight of the crop, the measurement of the land, and that the* regulations have been complied with. 6. A prize of £10 (ten pounds cash) to be awarded for the heaviest yield of potatoes all sizes to be weighed. . If sufficient funds, second and third prizes will be given. 7. Sufficient labour to be on the. ground to dig up 'and bag the whole of 'the crop in nine hours; neither witnesses nor diggers to leave the ground while the crop is being dug and weighed. Non-compliance with any of the above rules to cause disqualification. 8. When crop is dug, each competitor must send to the secretary an account of what has been grown on the competing quarter-acre daring the previous two years ; also, date of planting, kind or kinds of manure and seed used. 9. Each competitor to be supplied by the secretary with a copy of the above rules at the time of entry. . It should also be stated that any kind, or number of kinds, of potatoes may be planted, that each competitor must be careful that his piece of land does nob' exceed a quarter of an acre, as any excess of area planted would cause disqualification. As some settlers might not be able to measure a quarter of an acre with sufficient correctness, I would add that t there should be 1210 square yards. The required length may be found by dividing the 1210 by the number of yards that the land is wide, e.g., if ten yards wide it should be 121 yards long; if 15 yards wide, it should be SO yards and 2 feet long ; if nearly square, 35 yards by 34$ yards, will be near enough. Some of the Auckland manure and bonedust merchants are also offering prizes for this potato competition, and I hope, next week, to be able to send you a list of their prizes, with the conditions under which they are to be given. There is to be an entertainment in the hall, about the end of August, under the management of Mr. T. W. P. Smith, the proceeds to go towards clearing off the debt. Further particulars will be sent directly the " bills" are out.—[Own Correspondent.]