WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12035, 30 November 1906, Page 7

WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Becond (School Competition)

The second day'd Show was awaited with great interest by the bdiool children, and this was not to be wondered at considering that from early morning till close on twelve o'clock almost a thousand exhibits airived from eight school* in and around the district for competition in the school competition sections. Ihe schools represented were the Queen'e Park, Wanganui District High School, Mosstown School, Infant's School, St. John'g Infants' and Westmere School, Wangaehu School, Turakina School and the Rangiwahia School. The children of the local schools were given a half holiday to enable them to inspect and compare the exhibits. From the time the door* opened there was a continual stream of children going into the Hall, interspersed with a email number of ciders and teachers. Of the exhibitfi as a whole, one and all of the children and teachers must be congratulated on the result of their interest and labour in their gardens, and in their school work. The exhibition of the flowers and vegetables is most praiseworthy, and in some of the classes, especially the decorative, the exhibits could almost have held their own with those of the adult classes. In the vegetable section there were only three entries, but these were good, and the exhibit from the Mosetown School, which comprised over 12 varieties, was excellent, and well deserved pride of place. In the second prize exhibit, the vegetables were many, but the roots were not ao far advanced as the prize winners. The cut flowers were a sti'ong feature of the Show, and all the blooms were of very good quality, and showed to great advantage. In the baskets of flowers, three sections, for different ages, there were 67 entries, and the flowers were tastfully arranged. In bouquets (4 claases) there were 63 entries, and the arrangement and choice of flowers was in many cases, exquisite. The ladies' sprays numbered 56, and almost without exception were well put together. The 241 entries in the buttonhole competitions formed, without a doubt, the most interesting portion of the school exhibits, and the judge's task was an exceedingly hard one, for on looking over the buttonholes one could not find a badly arranged exhibit. The 19 exhibits of pot plants were good, as were also the collections of perennials and annuals. There were 4 dishes of pansies, all being very pretty flowers. For the best three roses two entries came to hand, and the blooms were .very good. Only three schools sent in exhibits of antirrhiniums. These were from plants distributed to over 20 schools by the Society. The season was backward for this variety of flower, and this accounts for the paucity of exhibits. The baskets of native flowers and bouquets of same numbered six and ' thirteen respectively, and the various specimens presented were represeutative of most of the native vegetation. Of indoor school work there in a very creditable display, and the judge, Mr. G. D. Braik, had a very trying task to place the winners. In this section the classes included handwriting, in which there were 132 entries, brushwo v k from plant form, designs to till specified spaces, fieehand drawing, and a hobby class, which comprised collections of shells, stamps, post cards, Maori curios, etc. The Queen's Park exhibits wove very extensive, --.c map drawing was excellent, and the writing very creditable, while the desi /»s were numerous and many very original, including three collections of shells, two of which, shown by Jane Black .and Elsie

Bamber, were moet complete. Sixteen albums, containing hundreds ot post eama, also compctfd, and were also very ropre-aerttarive of all cluss«s of pout cards.An exhibit of bird eggs, collected by Itatt Bartotti was very complete. There Were bix dolls entered in the doll-dressing competitions, and the sewing competitions were also extremely neat f«Jf little ehildrcn.

A pupil of the Marist Brothers' school was awarded a special prize certificate for his entry in shading, the subject being fiom tl frcnly growing plant. Two other pupils of the school were also awarded special first certificates for clever shading* of a Maoris head and a lion's head respectively. Miss D. MoMurray, of the Technical School^ was awarded 2nd in the hitler class for a shading from a cast.

N itive School. handwriting.— Kongo Tatapu 1, Paki Hoani Mete Kingi 2, Patohe McDonnell 3.

SCHOOL GARDEN COMPEtnTTON.

When the show opened this afternoon the President announced the result of the school gardeus competition. The gardens of the D.H.S., Queen's Park, St. Johu's, Wangaehn, Kaitoke, Westmere, Kimbolton, and Mosstown schools were entered, and the first prize was awarded to the Mos.stown school. The possible points were 100, and were divided for neatness (25), quality of flowers and vegetables (25), number of plants in bloom (25), and general effect (25), and will appear in that order in the prize list, which was as follows: — 1, Mosstown School, 25, 24, 21, 18, total 85; 2. St. John's Infanta' School, 21, 20, 20, 19, total 80 ; 3, Queen's Park School. 21, 19, 17, 20, total 77; Weatmere School, 18, 25, 13, 14. total 70; Kaitoke School, 18, 21, U, 16, total 69; Wanganui D.H. School, 25, 14, 12, 18, total 69; Wamgaehu School, 19, 18, 12, 17, total 66; Kimbolton School, 22, 17, 10, 17, total 66.

CHALLENGE BANNER. Presented by Messrs George and Kersley. Judges: Messrs Weightman and Just.

Open to all children attending public primary schools in the Wanganui Education District.

Collection of flowers, product school garden. — St. John's 1.

Collection of vegetables, product of school garden. — Mosstown 1, Westmere 2, Kaitoke 3.

Best exhibit antirrhiniums. — Turakina 1, Kaitoke 2.

Specimen rose. — St. John's 1, Queen's Park 2.

Three roses. — Queen's Park 3, St. John's

2. Collection pansies. — St. John's 1, Westmere 2, Queen's Park 3.

Window-box from school. — Bessie Bamber (Queen's Park) 1, St. John's 2.

Three pot plants, grown in schoolroom. — Queen's Park 1, St. John's 2.

DECORATIVE. Judges : Mesdames Hope Gibbons and

Cutfield.

Basket of flowers, children 8 years and under. — Marjorie McFarlane (Queen's Park) 1, Percy Newport (Kaitoke) 2, St. John's 3.

Basket of flowers (children 12 years and under). — Doris Ryburn (Queen's Park) 1, Mavis Holloway (Wanganui Infants') 2, Sybil Clark 3.

Basket flowers (children any age). — Tom Laird (District High School) 1, Ethel Bell (Queen's Park) 2, May McKinnon (Queen's Park) 3.

Bouquet (children 8 years and under). — Myrtle Laird (St. John's) 1, Lily Murray (St. John's) 2, Doris Andrew <"St. John's) 3.

Bouquet (children 12 years and under). — Mavis Holloway (Wanganui Infants') 1, Teannie Franklin (Turakina) • 2, Emily Barns (Turakina) 3.