AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT. Mr. Robert Brown, director of agriculture for the Taranaki Education Board, reported to yesterday's meeting as follows: Staff.—Mr. Sergei finished work 011 October 31. Mr. Burley does not arrive uitil December 1. The regular running of classes has therefore to some little extent been interfered with. As far as possible routine work of instruction continued at Haw era and Stratford District High Schools, and at Hawera and New I-lymouth Technical Colleges. Primary schools visited were Pungarehu, Newall, Rahotu, Upper Mangorei.Lower Mangorei Carrlngton, Central (2), Vogeltown, Frankley, West End, Kent, Egmont Village, Albert, Kaimiro, Finnerty, Ngaere, Rawhitiroa. Raupuha, Stanley, iFukengahu, Norfolk, Ratapiko, Mahoe, Kaponga, Awatuna, Douglas, Huiroa, Toko, Tuna, Denbigh, Tarikl, Ackland," Inglewood, Kaimata, Waitui, Durham, Hawera and Stratford.

Plans for . school grounds.—Mr. Howell has keenly taken up the work of suggesting and planning qut improvements to grounds on lines as at Central School and others. As soon as teachers and instructors are satisfied as to the best lines of improvement, a fixed plan of future operations will be made out in the case of each school, with a copy at headquarters and development will be recorded from time to time, As soon as the staff is again complete) this work will be pushed ahead, ao that by next planting season operations can go right ahead on well considered lines. Progress thereafter will be increasingly rapid. In the meantime, seed and seedlings of native trees and shrubs are being steadily secured. Gifts of audi will be always welcome. In this connection Mr. Howell has received a valuable lot of seeds arid native plants from the Wanganui gardens, Those are being raised at Stratford" for distribution. ' Messrs Webster Bros, have donated a series of packets of Sutton's seeds. A series of these is being put in at the Oentral with the assistance of the Technical College lads. Seed drill and cultivators.—We require a seed drill and cultivator (hand) for use with the classes at the College and Central schools especially. At Stratford such a machine will be extremely handy in sowing small lots of various crops. Mr. Deem desires considerable assistance from the lads in this direction: | Herd-testing at Stratford.—This work Is all ready to begin in connection with I the model farm. Several of the senior pupils take a great interest in this work, and are carrying out tests for themI selves.

New Plymouth experimental areas.— From the 16th to the 18th October three lads from the College carried out farm work at-Corbett road, and on the 19th at FitzrOy. Good weather was experienced on this occasion. Following this, Mr. Sergei, with three lads' from the College and two from Hawera, put. in a week's work at Corbett road—October 22 to 28. Broken weather checked operations duriitg this time; otherwise it was expected that the ground would be ready for sowing early in November. Furthermore the difficulty of getting homs greatly hampered work at Fitzroy. As soon as lime is available at Corbett road the Work of sowing the lucerne area will be proceeded with. Mr. Ho well also put in one day here with the lads. Farmers' classes.—Here again wet weather greatly interfered with the attendance. Meetings were taken at Bell Block (twice, both very wet). Egmont Village (very wet), Durham, Kaimata, Maketawa, Auroa, Rahotu, Pungarehu, Normanby, iPlhama, Patua and Warea. Seed 1 collecting.—lt is hoped that teachers will all keenly take up this work again this season. Round New Plymouth and the coastal area generally, prairie grass is maturing fast, and will show a ;good deal of ripeness before the holidays. If the worlj of collecting is delayed till the schools re-open in February a great deal of this seed will be lost. No doubt the will be reminded that it is a'patriotlc, sb well.&s a profitable work, tp collect the seed of prairie and cocksfoot especially. Much could be done in this line during the vacation. The proceeds would, of course, go to the collectors; not to the schools. During February, as last year, it should be a recommendation from the Board that all or part of one school day should be'given up to this work. A little organisation and previous practice will soon familiarise even the youngest child with this work. A leaflet of suggestions to teachers re garden operations has been prepared and should shortly be distributed.