RICH WAIKATO

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 58, 31 May 1927, Page 9

RICH WAIKATO

(Continued from page 1.)

JUDGES COMPLETE WORK SPLENDID ROOT CROPS MODERN METHODS JUSTIFIED (.Special to THE SUN.') HAMILTON, To-day. In preparation for this afternoon's opening the judges, stewards and other officials were busy almost from the break of dawn this morning. Such was the even quality of the exhibits that even the unitiated could appreciate their difficulty in separating rival competitors. The dairy produce was judged yesterday, leaving the field crop section, poultry, home industries, art needlework and photography to be covered to-day. The field crops formed a striking testimony to the fertility of the Waikato and dominated the show, the association’s display comprising tiers of mangolds, marrows, swedes and pumpkins banked to the rafters. Entries in competitive classes were distributed across the wide court. The high quality of the root crops is partly atributable to the progress of the dairy industry, as farmers require mangolds and carrots for winter feed. Aided by scientific top-dressing, many have achieved remarkable results. Gordonton Puketua districts, close to Hamilton, were well represented, while Puitaruru, which is newer country, won honours through its exhibits by Mr. E. Taylor, who showed one mangold that was 2£ feet long and loaded with nutriment. Mr. Taylor also exhibited fine swedes in company with Mr. W. Dallard. The exhibits of both farmers were praised by the pudg both farmers were praised by the judge. From the field crops, which included monster marrows and pumpkins as well as mangolds, the transition to the domestic vegetable section, was a move from the colossal to the miniature. The potatoes exhibited represented a wide range of territory. Messrs. N. Hughes and R. Christensen, among the successful exhibitors, being from Fejlding, while Messrs. J. Ballard, A. Sharp and others who scored, are Gordonton residents. It was indicated that the home products in all sections can hold their own with something to spare. Testing the Waikato fruit for texture, quality and symmetry, the judges found few flaws. Some of the pumpkins and marrows were of huge size. The judges, of course, weer on the look-out for pumpkins fattened to phenomenal proportions by the trick of feeding them with sugar and water, and quality was always the first consideration. Thus several monster marrows were excluded.