PUKEKOHE EAST.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 54, 24 December 1912, Page 2

PUKEKOHE EAST.

SCHOOL PICNIC.

The Pukekolio East school held their annual picnic on Thursday last. In the morning the prospect was not very inviting. However, as the day advanced the wind rose and dissipated the clou Is and the sun broke out invitingly. Mr Rutherford kindly placed his paddock at our disposal, and the spot was an ideal one for the purpose. A large, clear paddock afforded space for game.s and r*ic?s, and largo clumps of native bush afforded shelter from sun and wind.

The children arrived in all styles ; most of them chose tho humble though reli'tble " shank's pony," several on pretty little Shetland?, others in the milk cart and more ambitious sulky, while motor cars and bikes added a modern touch to the scene. A plentiful supply of sandwiches and cakes was passed around to the children, who hid them as only children can hide them, after which races for the children and games for the older ones, were the order of the day. The race* were well contested and every child present received a toy. Unfortunately we had to cut short our amusements as the weather began to break. After a hurried tea, which was taken to a quiet rain accompaniment, we took our way home with spirits somewhat dampened though not quite so damp as our clothes. Thus ended Pukekohe K-ist school picnic, 1012; let us hope we shall have better luck next time. SCHOOL GARDEN EXPERIMENTS.

Some iii'eie&ting potato experiments have this been conducted at the Pukekohe East School. The soil employed is clay loam, exposed to the nest and south-west winds. Some 12 cwt. of seed per acre were uard, and the following manure was applied: —Blood and bone 9 cwt., superphosphates 3J cwt., sulphate of potash 1 cwt. Abundance, which proved a strong grower aod sho#edno blight, ifave the be it results, with 381ns of marketable and slbs 4ozs of small potatoes Factor, Princess Victoria and Excelsior were very dieappointing. givinz 14Iba 2ozs, lOlbs 2Aozs, and 121bs 14Jozs (large and small) respectively. Ii all cases the yields were from 4lbs of seed. In a neighbouring plot of Gamekeepers blight was preval?nt, but Abundance successfully resisted di ease, although immediately surround d by infected crops. As the experiment was made to show resistance to blight no spraying was administered.