BOYS' AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 263, 2 August 1919, Page 8

BOYS' AGRICULTURAL CLUBS

NATIONAL COMPETITION

SUGGESTED

"A SCHEME BACKED BY SOUND

COMMON SENSE"

During the season 1917-18 New Zealand agriculturists grew 100,5% tens of potatoes on 22,551 pcres of land, an average yield per acre of 4.33 tons. An Ota go boy, the winner of an agricultural competition organised by the Otago Expansion League, raised over two tons of table potatoes and more than one ton of seed and small potatoes on one-eighth of an acre of land, at the rate of over 24, tons to the acre. The hoy's crop had a market value of ,£2l 9s. hi., equivalent to'a gross yield of „';171 12s. Bd. per acre. His profit, after deducting all costs of production, was at the rate of of <ClO7 4s. Bd. per acre The achievement of this boy was quoted to a Dominion* reporter by Mr. W. Stuart Wilson, in support of a suggestion that an agricultural competition for hoys and girls should be organised on national lines. Mr. Wilson, who recently became resident in Wellington, was an active member of the Otago Expansion Loajrue, and took particular interest in the agricultural'competition inaugurated by that body. The initial venture was made in the face of several difficulties. But the measure of success gained was sufficient, to convince Mr. Wilson that the scheme could be ruado a factor ' of the first importance in the agricultural development of New Zealand. Similar competitions have been enormously successful in the United States. It is claimed that they have doubled tho production of the soil in certain. States bv showing the farmers what their owii fx>ns can do by intensive cultivation of plots on the homo farms. Expert advice to competitors forms a part of the scheme. ■ "Mv idea is that the Government, should set aside a sum of. money for this agricultural competition, and appoint organisers to work in conjunction with the farmers' unions, A. and P. associations, and other progressive bodies throughout tho Dominion, said Mr. Wilson. "The competition should bo both provincial and national. A district; could have its own competition, subject, to the rules laid down by the central authority. There would be district winners, provincial winners and eventually a New Zealand champion. It should bo part of'the duties of the agricultural, inspectors throughout the Dominion to see that the competitors were tlio most approved scientific lines, or rather that they had the information necessary to enable them to do this. Local committees could exercise general supervision arid 6ee that the competitors wero complying with the rules.* All tho prominent men and officials to whom I have mentioned the schemo consider it to be eminently practical, and they agree that the influence of such an annual competition, would be of tho greatest value in stimulating production generally. The scheme adopted in Otago was drafted by Mr. Green, agricultural inspector 'under the. Otago Education Board. It provided that the .competition should be limited to boys between the ages of 10 years and 1C years and confined to the growing of certain staple products, tho first year being devoted to potatoes. The area to be cultivated by each competitor was one-eighth of an acre,, which would be a portion of tho homo farm or land otherwise arranged for. All the work involved, except where heavy implements and horse-po\ver might be necessary, must bo . done by the competitor, who would provide seed and manure and keep a proper record ■ of his operations. Tho Otago coiupetii tion was judged on the following basis: ; ' Maximum ' Marks. 1 (1) Yield of marketable crop 50 (2) Record descriptive of cultiva--1 . tion operations, observations on rainfall, and- special, con- , 1 ditions affecting the crop, such as blight and pests 35 (3) Profit per acre _j°_ > ' 100 I The records required to be. kept by the . competitors dealt with the character of - tho soil, methods of cultivation, selection of seed and methods of planting, feri tiliscrs used, subsequent cultivation and trcatmont of growing crop. Each boy f was directed to run his plot on a coni--1 mereial basis and to debit his crop witft , all charged incurred, with rent calculated Jut 5 per cent, and with the cost (calculated at currant farm rates) of oultiva- , tion, planting, digging, and bagging. , "1 need not elaborate tho details of • the proposal. What I want to urge ', upon the attention of those people who .realise tho vital importance of increased f production is that a. competition of this kind is bound to have a most stimulating t effect A similar effort was initiated ui . the United States about eight years age D and it has developed into a great m- ■- tional movement organised and dnectea s by the Department of Agriculture, in - Sopeiation with the State agricultural [- colle-es. New Zealand boys, and girls i also, will not be less responsive than - their American cousins have been it an agricultural competition is opened to a on the lines that bad i proved so successful in America, added - Mr. Wilson, would have several teatmes e that could not fail to appeal to the n young people. Pirst, tnero would bo - ho possession of a small block o land, >• with tho right to work it independent!-, ■ there would bo tho competitive element, il which would be increased it Do* a >- were working in tho same neighhour- > hood. Then there would be the prospet )' of getting a substantia sum of pocket- ■- money bv tho sale of the crop, and the - pSility of winning a L' rim-imr with it some real distinction, « The competitors, who naturally would • he the farmers of tho future, would bb bought into touch will scientific ■■ methods of cultivation and production <■ They ould be taught the meaning; of '" intensive cultivation and given a new 0 Si of agricultural possibilities. A « nd°vho had grown three tons of potatoes r on u eighth of an acre would no be " content in later years to grow five tons on an acre. , ~ " The benefits of the movement would 1 not ho confined to the competitors them- ' selves? Tho boys, who would bo chiefly 5 iirmers' sons, would work under the 1 eves of their fathers and their ncighD hours Thev would discuss their work. r and tho export wince they had received " ""the homo circle. They, would givo.a i practical demonstration of how to in. crease production on tho homo farm. : The competitions in America had not murely been the means of. fostering in"rest in rural industry, but.had also been responsible for establishing imr proved methods of cultivation on the - farms of tho parents of competitors and ] in the districts where the contests took f place. A similar result undoubtedly i could be secured in Now Zealand. > "It w a big scheme and an important - scheme," said Mr. Wilson in conclusion. - "It is a schemo that will pay for our • hydro-electric power, for our towil- • planning, for the charges that we liavo ! incurred during five strenuous years or war It is a scheme backed by sound ■ common sense, which has proved an ! undoubted success in the United Slates, • perhaps the'greatest country in the world • to-da,-, and which assuredly will miiKe i New' Zealand, if it is handled in a • business-liko way, tlio brightest gem of ' tho British Empire.'-