FARMERS’ COMPETITIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 3

FARMERS’ COMPETITIONS

HAY AND ENSILAGE STACKS FIELD DAY HELD AT OKATO. JUDGE COMMENTS ON ENTRIES. Farmers from as far north as Urenui and. from the South Taranaki districts of Tokaora, Inaha and Kapuni, assembled at Okato yesterday for the farmers’ competitions field day. The arrangements were excellent and the 90 farmers who followed the judging were provided with excellent examples of hay and* ensilage stacks and pits. Free discussion was encouraged and. the finer points in the art of making silage were elucidated. . Judging in the Okato district farmers competitions was continued and twelve stacks and pits were completed by Mr. J. M. Smith, of the Department of Agriculture, assisted by Messrs J. Palmer and C. Haynes. Meeting at the Hempton Hall the party was entertained at morning tea, after 'which, in the absence of the president, Mr. L. G. Hickford, Mr. C. Eustace welcomed the visitors. Okato was. a very young branch, this being its second season, he said, but it was honoured by receiving the. field day. > The party, consisting of about 20 carloads, followed Mr. Smith as he was judging. ! , Three fine ensilage stacks, one or which was the highest marked in the district, were inspected at Mr. H. T. Paul’s farm. Stack No. 1 was awarded 93J points, and was of oats and rye cut from five acres. The waste was very small, the topping being good. ‘ The maximum temperature was 152 deg. F. Stack No. 2, which was awarded .93 pointe, was of millet and had reached a temperature of only 102 degrees. Mr. Smith pointed out the wide, range of temperatures possible in the making of good ensilage. The slight sourufifs was ‘ indicative of low temperafures.

STACK OF 260 TONS. Mr. Paul's third stack, which scored one-quarter of a point below the leading stack judged in North Taranaki, was very large, containing about 260 tons bf oats and tares. This stack was round with a diameter of 40 feet. .Waste was almost at’ a minimum, the topping being excellent. The only improvement, possible, remarked Mr. Smith, would be ; slightly earlier cutting. Mr. Paul explianed 'that 18 acres of Algerian oats had been cut on January 21 and built in four days, two days’being taken for the topping. The maximum temperature had been 110 degrees. - A hillside stack belonging to Mr. T. E. Larking scored 86 points. The raw material, though good, said the judge, was not first-class. Still, the best had been made of it. The batter walls didhot seem to be an advantage. A haystack. belonging to Mr. T. E. Larking scored 85 points but, in . common with most stacks in Taranaki this season, had been cut too late. .. The only earth., pit judged was Mr. W. Bridgeman’s. The seed indicated that the cutting had been rather late, but the material had been" saved in good condition and 85 points were, awarded. The owner explained that the material had been put in every day. Mr. Smith said it was .not now, considered necessary to work on the building every other day. The farmers returned to the hall for luncheon. The president, Mr. L. G. Bickford, officially welcomed the visitors and stressed the value of the field day. The chairman of the competitions

committee extended a welcome to the second annual field day. The first, he said, had been held at Lepperton, and it was hoped to continue having the functions at different branches throughout Taranaki. This year Okato had been chosen as it would make it easier for South Taranaki farmers to be present. Referring to the competitions movement he said that there were more entries and competitions in North Taranaki than in any other part of New Zealand. Apologies had been received. GROWTH OF COMPETITIONS. Mr. Blyde congratulated the Okato branch on the growth of tne competitions in the district.. Last year theio had been 21; this season there were.over 40. The judge, Mt. Smith, paid a tribute to the work of the secretary, Mr. D. le C. Morgan, and the branch secretaries. As a member of the committee he thanked donors of cups and trophies and the Okato executive for its response to the field day. A vote of thanks to the ladies was moved by Mr. Morgan and to the Press by Mr..C. J. Harris. .. A committee of ladies provided morning tea, luncheon and afternoon, tea. They were Mesdames E. Gibson, C. Eustace, W. Bridgeman, H. Paul, L. Carey, Misses W. Bridgeman and N. Paul. The judging was continued in the afternoon. Mr. F. A. Ashley’s ensilage stack., was described by the judge as fair ensilage made from'rather secondclass material. It scored 82 points. The topping was not brought far enough out and had resulted in considerable waste. Heavy rain while cutting had some\yhat spoiled Mr. J. Brophy's haystack, 'which was awarded 83 points. Salt had improved the quality, said Mr. Smith, but there was a fair amount of fog and vernal. Top marks in the. hays.section wer® scored by Mr. J. J. Carey’s two .haystacks, one of which received 89 arid the other 86| pointe. "No." 1 was composed of very'fair material, and was in bright condition, though a small fall "of rain had marred it slightly. . The building was good. No. 2 was poorer on the top than on the bottom, which was good. . It was explained. a wind had prevented the top. portion being saved until two days after the first part had.been put in. ■'/- An ensilage stack of Hawke’s Bay perennial rye and clover owned by Mr. F. Goodin, scored 88 points. The material was of a greenish brown.-' ’a'A well’topped stack of ensilage belonging to Mr. J. J. Carey scored 90% points, the • judge commenting on the freedom from waste.' The poles -were well on the outside. . ’ ■ : <

’ On a table during the luncheon were , displayed some of the nimy cups fhat are. open for competition in the various competitors, many pf them being branch, trophies to be won outright. They made ... a splendid showing. There were 24 on exhibition. They • included eight Okato . branch competition cups. The results are:-7 . . . ? " ensilage. - " Stacks. . :

H. T. Paul, No. 3 . s O' 56£ O U ~ Hi <D 23 ' 93| H. T. Paul, Nd. ■' '■ 1 ...... ..... 56 • 141 :23« 031 H. T. Paul, No. 2 65J 141 23 93 , J. J. Carey .... 54 14 ' 221 901 W. F. Goodin .. 56 11 19 86 F. A. Ashley .. 52 li 19 82 HILLSIDE STACKS. > OJ Is I s T. E. Larking .. 53 12 21 80 EARTH PIT. <p _ g§, > c> tn O a o* W. Bridgeman 62 8 15 85 • • HAY ■ a- ' o g s o* I s -,s Is n s pH H ■■ J. J. Carey, No. ; 1 2 50 16 23 89 J. J. Carey, No. i 50J 15 21 861 T. E. Larking . 48 15 22 J. Brophy .... 46 15 22 8P ;