ENCOURAGING FORESTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19062, 6 July 1925, Page 10

ENCOURAGING FORESTRY.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS' WORK. TARANAKI LEADING THE WAY. [by tei.egp.aph.—press association. 3 HAWERA, Saturday. The Hawera Winter Show has closed after a successful season. Notwithstanding tho adverse weather. Tho attendances woro large. Among several outstanding features one which has attracted keen interest is the primary schools' forestry section, in which Taranaki has given a lead to tho Dominion. The forestry work in the schools of this province is now in tho second year of its operation and has tho unqualified support of tho State Forest Service, which supplies tho seed required. Tho children do all tho work themselves, from sowing the seeds to the final planting out of the young troes. To be eligible to compete at tho show each school must raise at least 250.seedling plants of two or more varieties of useful timber trees. Then each school is required to show: (a.) A tray or box of transplanted seedling plants of at least two of the varieties raised, (b.) Full notes on tho raising of the seedlings, (c.) An essay on somo afforestation subject. (d.) A general display of any work having a bearing on afforestation,'as for examplo a collection of New Zealand timbers. Probably the most valuable aspect of the whole work is that each child, whose parents aro willing to find protection for tho soedlings, is given at least 200 to take home and plant permanently, and the children are encouraged to keep accurate graphical records of tho growth of these. Similar observations are made of the plantings about the school grounds.