HOME GARDEN COMPETITION

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1930, Page 4

HOME GARDEN COMPETITION

RESULTS IN TARANAKI SCHOOLS.

INSTRUCTOR’S REPORT ON WORK.

■‘‘Home gardens” were introduced three or four years ago at a few of the larger schools in North. Taranaki, where a considerable proportion of the children are. unable to participate in. the work of t e Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, stacee the report prepared on the year’s work by Mr. W. Dill Macky, agriculture instructor to the Taranaki Education BoardTt was felt that a suitable sutetitue was needed, or at least something in the nature of a supplementary training in crop production and cultural methods, which would be confined to. a much smaller area and which in consequence would come well within the reach o. town or semi-rural school pupils. Accordingly in 1927 the Central and Lower Mangorei school* presented Vi and 18» gardens respectively for judging. The popularity of the movement was apparent from the outset, not merely amongst pupils, butalso , teachers and parents; The work has a special appeal to parents, not solely from a utilitarian aspect, but because of ite intrinsic value in keeping the children engaged in healthy outdoor occupation at home* ~ -i The competition is open to all pupils from standard IL upwards, and a free hand is- allowed in the selection of crops and manures, etc. A number of flower gardens as well as vegetable plots have been entered each year, -but are judged on different points. Freedom in selection has the advantage of encouraging originality and soundness of judgment from the economical and -marketing standpoints. Ihe idea adopted at Lower Mangorei school last year of bringing the produce from the various competitive plots to the school and having it rejudged before being sold at the school is an excellent The movement has . been extended since.l927 to outlying schools mostly by requests from teachers. In 1927 there were two schools with a total of 45 entribs; this season there were 18 phrticinatin# schools with a total of 120 plop extending from Stratford and Midhirst to_New Plymouth and round the coast to Oakura. , . In the larger schools such as Stratford, Midhirst, Inglewood and Norfolk Road the work was divided into two classes: Senior, 180 square feet. (18 feet by 10 feet or 22 feet; by 8 feet), comprising the pupils of standards V. and VL Juniors, 120 square feet' (12 feet by 10 feet). These dimensions have proved satisfactory. . The judging is based on a maximum of .100 points for vegetable produce, allocated as follows: —Preparation and finish 25, Variety and arrangement. 20, Notes 5, spacing, thinning and cultivation 25, growth and appearance 25. Under the first heading the following additional points are considered.-— Moulding up, tilth, staking, weeding and protection from depredations of birds, slugs, etc. The. schools were not inter-competi-tive up to ths present, although this is a matter worth considering in future. The winner from the different schools is rewarded by a certificate of merit from the Education Board. This season both the "Weirs, from Lower Mangorei, again had particularly good plots, although, on account of the unfavourable spring weather growth was backward, but uniform. The scientific method, neatness and finished displayed by these pupils, are exemplary and worthy of great .praise.