A TRIP TO MOUMAHAKI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 24, 28 May 1915, Page 3

A TRIP TO MOUMAHAKI.

FIRST PRIZE ESSAY. (Written by William Dean). At last the eventful morning daunt'd. We woke up to find that it was raining heavily, and we thought “no trip to -Monmahaki.'’ However, it oleared np towards eight o’clock, and we got down to tht‘ station dry-.shod. We hoarded the train and started on onr sixty-mile journey to .Monmahaki. At Stratford, we were joined hy the hulk of the hoys under Air Kllis and Air Thomas. The train journey was uneventful, and ahont eleven o’clock we alighted at the little station of Alonmahaki.

An express was waiting at the sin- 1 thin to convey onr luggage to the farm, and we walked behind. On ar-’ rival at the farm we wpre met hy Air Lonsdale, who promised to semi several men to help ns to put up the marquee. After refreshing the “inner man” we proceeded to get ready the sleeping quarters. Hy the time all the necessary work had been done, about the camp, it was nearly time for tea. Air Thomas therefore divided the boys up into sections for fatigue duty. Kadi section laid to cot k tlu> meals and attend at the table lor one | day. In every section was a senior boy. who took charge and superintended the culinary operations. Me retired to bed at about hall-past eight, but no one bought of sleep. Pillow-lights and cock-lighting were the order ol the day, or in this ease, ol the night, but at last things quietened down aim soon wo were all in “the arms ol .Morpheus.” Next morning, aftei breakfast, under the charge of All Kills, we “sallied forth” to view the farm. We passed down the drive, which is bordered by samples of hedges. We took notes ol each one. In the afternoon we went through the lucerne paddock and took notes. Wo noticed that the Colonial variety of lucerne did best. Another leatun that we noticed was the diflerent plots of lucerne inoculated with different bacteria. Next day, the morning wa spent in observing the different methods of cultivating the land. In the afternoon tools were served out and we wen 1 initiated into the mysteries o; weeding mangolds. When we won finished, all the hoys that were noi on fatigue wont down to the dam loi a swim. Next day was spent nuclei the supervision of the head gardenei in the orchard. He lectured upon the training and spraying of fruits. Afterwards he earned the eternal gratitude of the hoys hy sending ovci a consignment of fruit. That eveniin: Mr Kllis made an announcement that pleased everybody. Through the kind ness of Air Lonsdale, we were to visit the Wavcrley' Show on the morrow Next morning wo spent in weeding mangolds, and after dinner we set out ■for Waverley. On arrival at the show wo were allowed to wander ahont loi an hour, and we split np to look at everything of interest. After the horn was up we all went in to the hall to inspect the lino exhibit of the Atom mahaki Kxperimental Karin. As luck ! would have it, on onr way home it began to rain, and we readied camp “slightly damp.” .1 quite forgot te say that some ladies presented ns with some first and second prize cakes. At tea that night we fully appreciated the donors’ kindness. On Krid'ay we were lectured on a purebred Ayrshire hull, and I am sure learned a great deal that we had not known before. In the afternoon, Mr Beverley, the plant-breeder, escorted ns round the farm and pointed out items of great interest about potatoes and the varionr kinds of grasses. Saturday, the last day, was spent with Mr Lonsdale, who lectured first upon a Berkshire pig, and secondly, upon Shropshire, Romney Marsh, and Border Leicester sheep. He pointed out the various characteristics of each and courteous!\ answered any question that was asked. At the close, we all gave three dicers for Mr Lonsdale and all the members of his staff, who had in every way tried to make 1 onr visit enjoyable. Returning. we “struck cam]),” and about two o’clock we took leaiq. of the farm, and set out for the station. Here we caught the mail-train, and in a leu hours were in onr homos again. A main feature of the trip mis tin exceeding kindness of Mr Kllis, Mi Thomas, and the staff of the farm who spared no pain* to make ns com iortahle and to make the visit a sue cess hy not only attending to onr enjoyment, hut- by using all means in their power to instruct ns in the best methods of agriculture, horticulture, and stock-breeding, iiiiiumiii hi im