SCHOOL GARDEN COMPETITIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1194, 10 January 1914, Page 3

SCHOOL GARDEN COMPETITIONS.

RANGIWAHIA ON TOP. FOXTON SECOND, RU AHINE THIRD. Mr R. A. S. Browne, Director of the Technical School at Hawera, who judged the school gardens for the Feilding A. and P. Association, has lor warded his report to the secretary, Mr E. H. Fisher. In a letter accompanying the detailed notes, Mr Browne says:— I was very pleased with the high ‘ standard of excellence attained by the three leading schools in all ordinary garden operations. Another pleasing feature was the greater altentiou paid to the appearance of the school grounds as a whole. In this, Raugiwahia has made wonderful progress since last year, Foxton maintains its high place, and Apiti is coming well to the front. The uulavourable season did not give some schools, where the soil is heavy, a fair chance, as for perhaps a fortnight previous to inspection it would have been foolishness to attempt cultivation. There has been distinct iaiprovemeut iu the quality of the flowers grown. Rigid culling and selection must still be practiced, however. Several schools have started orchards. That at Ruahine at present stands out on its own. Teachers should note in this connection that dwarf standard trees can safely be grown as close as eight or nine feet between the trees. In note-books, writing has somewhat degenerated jn the leading schools. This should be corrected. The best writing came from Beaconsfield school, GARDEN COMPETITION. Rangiwahia, 206 marks, 1 ; Foxton, 204, 2 ; Ruahine, 203, 3-; Apiti, 188; Beaconsfield, 183; Ohakea, 170; Cheltenham, 160; Taonui, 153. Kakarikl notebooks not yet iu. 3EST DISPLAY OF FLOWERS. Foxton, 9>2 marks, 1 : Raugiwahia, 9,2 ; Ruahine, 8/2, 3. BKST orchard. Ruahine, 9% marks, 1 ; Rangiwahia, 8,2 ; Taonui 7,3, BEST-KEPT NOTEBOOK, Arch. Mclntyre, Rangiwahia, 1 ; E. H. Mackie, Foxton, 2 ; Hazell Ross, Ruahine, 3. ■ NOTE BOOKS. Rangiwahia, 28 marks ; Foxton, Apiti and Ruahine, 25 marks each; Beaconsfield, 23 marks; Ohakea, x 8 marks ; Taonui and Cheltenham, 15 marks. In the detailed notes, the following reference is made to Foxron : —“Cultivation 50, order and system 40, labelling 20, vegetables and farm roots 35, tools 15, shelter and appearance 9, diaries 25; total, 204. Flowers orchard 6. Steady improvement here. Vegetable culture has reached perlectiou, by careful attention to tillage aud to the addition of humus iu the form of greeu manure. Flowers show good quality. Some commoner types could be weeded out with advantage. Suggest special plot of roses, and steady falling in of the southern slope by shrubs, etc. In general appearance of- grounds this school comes second to Raugiwahia. Entrance good ; not quite balanced as yet. Shelter coming on. Fruit trees checked. Grown as dwarf standards. It is a pleasure to see such careful cultivation as practiced here.”