BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 13

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

SOUTH TARANAKI ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS TO COMPETITORS. ‘ SEASONAL WORK DISCUSSED. (Contributed by the South Taranaki Agricultural Clubs’ .Association). As the judging of the calves proceeds it is easily seen that the handling of the calves is receiving attention by most of the competitors and during the past week nearly all the calves seen by the judges have led very well. It is also pleasing to see that in most cases the calf and the child are on very good terms and appear to know each other quite well. This is all just as it should be as one of the aims of the competition is to teach kindness and a love of animals. At the start of the judging there were a few calves that did not seem to have had- much handling, probably because the. judging started a little earlier this year and took some of you by surprise. Of course there are still a few who get out on tire end of a long rope and try to drag the calf along. This method will never meet with success and, if you have' been trying to manage this way, give, it up and adopt the method that has •been described in these notes.

.Already several children have announced their intention of entering for the .special class at Eltham for two-year-olds in milk and are busy preparing their entries for parading before the judges. All the animals in this class must have been reared as club calves and- so will have the familiar 2Y brand. VEGETABLE PLOTS. From reports that have been received it looks as if the competitors are taking full advantage of the favourable season and *ll the crops are getting a good start. Parsnips* and carrots should .now be well up and have been weeded and thinned.- Beetroot should be showing through and as soon as the plants are big enough to handle you should go along the rows filling the gaps with transplants. , This work is best carried out on a dull day when rain is about or it can be done in the evening after having thoroughly soaked the ground with water.- - You are? "advised to sow your silver beet and table swedes' early in December and the ground for these crops should/now have its final preparation. Those who are growing vegetables for the Nomianby, show classes should sow the butter beans without further delay* - CARROTS AND MANGOLDS. ' All crops should have had a wonderful start this year, as the weather has been so good and if the summer is not too dry there should be some record crops for weighing •up when the time comes. The; record-mangold crop, over 180 tons per acre, has stood now for a number of years, but I hope there are a number of competitors who are determined to do better than that this year. But you cannot expect a good season and manure to do ■ everthing for you; cultivation will always be the main thing in growing good root crops. Very few have applied for fresh supplies of seed for re-sowing, so It seertis that great care has been taken with the preparation of the seed bed and the sowing of the seed. From Pihama comes a, report of damage to the young mangolds by a beetle. This will most probably be found to be the beetle of the grass grub, as this is on the-wing in theevenings at this time of the year. r Small fires are often lit in the evenings as a means of attracting and destroying the beetles. Where they attack the leaves of fruit trees they can be killed with an arsenate of lead spray, but there is difficulty in the matter of applying: spray to the small mangold plants. < In any cases of damage of this sort to a crop careful observations should be made to discover just whht it Is that causes the damage. This is very necessary if you are going to find means of preventing further destruction of the crop and you will also increase the value of the chart if you are able to give notes and drawings of the pests. HOME SCIENCE SECTION. In the notes for the past two weeks we have given directions for the curing of sheepskins, making candied peel and jam-making and if any of you have missed these you should look up the paper without delay, so that you can prepare your exhibits in the time that is still available. This week we are giving suggestions on the bottling of fruit. As in all the other classes you do not have to follow the method set out in these notes; but can use any other method you desire to. However, the methods described here are very simple and any boy or girl who follows them can feel confident of success. Bottled fruit: Gooseberries and rhubarb are the fruits chosen for this class in the competitions, as they are now plentiful in the gardens and in excellent condition for bottling. The first and most important thing to do is to thoroughly test the jars before using them. They must be free from cracks and the lids must be in good condition, so that they will screw on tightly and be absolutely airtight for the preservation of the fruit depends on the exclusion of all air. Wide mouthed jars are the best and the lids should be porcelain lined. New rubber bands should be used each year, as those that have been used before are always more or less finished. Choose the choicest looking fruit—fine even-sized gooseberries and the reddest sticks of rhubarb, free from blemishes and perfectly sound. The fruit should be washed, the gooseberries topped and tailed and the rhubarb not peeled but cut into lengths to fit the bottle or jar when packed in uprightly. Take care in packing in the fruit to fit it in closely, not not to force it so as to damage it at all.

Bottled gooseberries. Fill the jars to the top with gooseberries in such a way that they look as attractive as possible. Make a syrup with 4oz of sugar to each pint of water and when this has boiled allow it to cool slightly. Pour this syrup over the fruit in the jar so that it covers it and fills the jar to the top. Screw up the lid tightly. Put a folded cloth or wire frame or similar object into the bottom of a large pan or copper; this is to protect the jars from the bottom of the pan. Then arrange the jars of fruit in the pan in such a way that they will not knock against each other. Fill up the pan with hot water so that it reaches up to the necks of the jars. Bring the water in the pan slowly to boiling point and boil it steadily for ten minutes. Lift out the jars, carefully standing them on a cloth, unscrew the lids to auow the steam to escape, then put on the rubber bands and rescrew the lids on as tightly as you can. Turn-the jars upside down and leave them to cool slowly, where there is no draught. It is a good plan to tighten the lids again when the jars arg cool, as metal and glass expand and contract at different rates. Bottled rhubarb: Proceed just the same as for the gooseberries. If you prefer to you can pour plain, boiled water (cooled) on to the rhubarb instead o£ tot ' • “ T -

Always remember the importance of a good appearance of the prepared work or dish and make it look as well as you possibly can. Wipe the jars carefully, have clean, bright lids if possible and label the jars with the name of the preserve and the date of preparing it Bottled fruit fades in a strong light after a time, so store it in. a dark, cool, dry cupboard, until required for use or showing. ’ Write out briefly how you bottled the fruit and attach it to your exhibit, and remember that even if you do not win you will have learnt something about the work that is sure to be useful to you again. CALF-JUDGING COMMENCED. PRESENTATIONS AT LINCOLN. A beginning was made yesterday with the judging of the calves in the northern division of the Taranaki Boys’ and Girls' Clubs competition. The judges in group n., Mr. P. Knight, who judged the condition, and Mr. W. K. Morris (dairy type) began their task at Kaimiro at 9.30 a.m. There five calves were produced for their inspection. The party, consisting of the judges and Mr. J. M. Smith, of the Fields Division of the. Department of Agriculture, then proceeded to Inglewood, where nine entries were lined up. After lunch Lincoln Road School (three calves)’ and Waiongona (two calves) were visited. At each school after announcing the marks awarded in the two branches of the competition the judges gave a short talk to the children, explaining the points they looked for and the reasons for giving marks, adding also some general advice on the rearing of the animals. The northern division judging differs from that of the southern division in that the former results are not decided until the whole of the divisional groups have been completed. The judging in group 1., comprising the Uruti, Mount Messenger, Musker’s and Mimi schools, originally set down for yesterday, will take place on December 8. In connection- with the pig-rearing competition organised by the Taranaki Education Board, Mr. W. B. Grant, New Plymouth (judge), accompanied by Mr. W. Dill Macky, agricultural instructor, and Mr. H. Trimble yesterday morning inspected eight exhibits at Inglewood. The judging in the Stratford district was carried out on Tuesday.

After the calf-judging had been completed at Lincoln Road yesterday the potato competition shield was presented to the school, and several certificates for success at last year’s show were handed to pupils. Mr. J. M. Smith, addressing the pupils, said that it was a very pleasant duty which called them yesterday. He had to apologise for the absence of Mr. H. C. Sampson, president of the Taranaki Agricultural Society, and of Mr. W. P. Okey, secretary, who were unable to be prosent. There were various certificates as well as the shield to be presented. He was going to hand over the honour of presenting them to Mr. Trimble, who for a* long time had taken a keen interest in the Boys and Girls’ Clubs. Mr. Trimble said it - gave him much pleasure to present the prizes, and especially to be' able to hand the shield for the potato competition to Lincoln school. He considered it a meritorious performance for the- boys and girls to have won the competition, which involved both the growing of the crops and the' keeping of records. He referred to the necessity for teaching a calf to lead properly’ in order to show it to best advantage, and the' importance of regular feeding for the young animal. This, together with an occasional grooming, was what was essential to keep the calf looking well and healthy. He then handed out the several trophies. Mr. Dill Macky sadi he was glad to See Lincoln in possession of the potato shield. They had always been a good agricultural school and had almost been successful the previous year. This was the first time the shield had been taken out of the close neighbourhood of New Plymouth. Several changes of teachers had spoiled their chances this year, but he hoped they might continue to hold the shield.

Mr. G. J. Hall, teacher in charge of the school, replied on behalf of the school committee and the pupils. Besides the shield for the potato competition there were also presented to the school two framed certificates, being the winning awards for the afforestation display at the shows in 1931 and 1932. Certificates were given to George Candy, Ist swedes in group III.; Allan Paul, Ist in dairy type, Jersey-Ayrshire section, 1931; Stanley Paul, 3rd to type to the camp- section; Peter Winter, 3rd to swedes in group HI. Badges were also given to those children who had exhibited calves last year.