YOUNG FARMERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21935, 19 October 1934, Page 17

YOUNG FARMERS

TRAINING IN SCHOOLS POPULARITY OF CLASSES THEORY AND PRACTICE A steady increase in the popularity of agricultural courses is reported by headmasters of Auckland schools where facilities for practical training have been created. One school has already a complete model farm well on the way to establishment, while others are doing good work out of doors to supplement class-room training. Work of great value is being done by one group of schoolboys in the control of the white butterfly, and in this same school an extensive scheme of home activities has been organised. Generally, more and more attention is being given to visits to farms of different types, to agricultural shows and to factories in which activity depends on the agricultural demands of the country. Students at Mount Albert Grammar School, 130 in number, are already receiving practical instruction in the principles of agriculture and horticulture on a part of what was formerly the Kerr-Taylor estate. During the 18 months since the property was taken over, rapid strides bave been made with the development of a model farmlet. Eventually the whole area will be divided into one-acre lots. Fruit and Vegetables Two orchards are already well established, one on clay country and the other on the light volcanic soil on the lower slopes of the mountain. The former is stocked with full varieties of apple and peach type, and the other has been leased to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for investigations into citrus-growing problems. This work will form one of the special studies of the boys. On the same land is a large-scale vegetable garden from which the Bchool hostel is supplied and which is managed by the students. The pastures are situated mainly on the clay land and the area is stocked with its complement of dairy cows, sheep and pigs. A model two-run piggery is in full working order, and there is a two-cow milking shed with electric hot water service, separator and equipment for keeping full records of milk and butter-fat production. Each cow is tested regularly. A fine Jersey calf born on the- farm is used for instruction in calf-rearing, and bee-keep-ing is taught in the apiary in the shelter of the long avenue up to the old homestead. ,• Students at Otahuhu The importance of finding supplementary fodder is not overlooked, and two paddocks are closed up, one for hay and the other for ensilage. Nearer the school buildings is a large area devoted to investigational work on pastures, cereals and other crops, while most of thb trees on the farm have been grown from seed by the boys. Over 90 students at the Otahuhu District High School are working on a home-farming scheme in calf-rearing, pig-keeping, flower and vegetable gardening and bee-keeping. Their work is done in co-operation with a Young Farmers' Club. At the last Royal Show . two members of the club showed pigs and one gained the first prize in the New Zealand Meat Board's section for an export baconer. Recently a cheque for £G lis was received by the winner, being the proceeds of the sale of the carcase after it was judged at the Smithfield Show in London. Another pupil won the first prize at the Royal Show in the Jersey Calf Club section. Learning Bee-keeping There are 73 pupils studying poultry .management, all of whom practise at home what they learn at school, while bee-keeping is another popular activity, the pupils learning their work at the school hives under the Government apiarist. Probably the most valuable work being done at this school is the breeding of parasites to combat the white butterfly menace. There are several other notable features of tlie Otahuhu scheme not the least of which is the fact that the boys are given a course of cookery. As an example of self-help it was pointed out recently that the pupils had collected tree seed in the district and had sold this to commercial concerns for a total of some £6O. Almost one-third of the boys at the Seddon Memorial Technical College are taking the agricultural course. Very complete equipment is used to give them a serviceable training in handicrafts. Expert 0-uldance The students get their first training on an area of some five acres in Benson Road, Remuera. Here, under the guidanco of an expert, they learn all that is necessary for.the handling of a small suburban farm or nursery. In addition to growing vegetables for use by the school cookery classes, they produco eggs, honev and milk. In their second year the students receive practical instruction on two farms in the Glen Eden district. On the first of these, Mr. W. S. Miller's model piggery, they have the advantage of studying the growing of feed for well over' 1000 pigs, thus giving them exj>erience in true agricultural, methods. This is in addition to training in handling and feeding swine. The other farm, provides them with observational work in connection with the management of a pedigree' Jersey herd and the full control of pastures.