AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1918, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

EDUCATION BOARD'S ACTIVITIES. At yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, Mr. A. G. Browne, Agricultural Director, reported that work has steadily continued in ali sections. Staff. —Mr. J. W. Connell has arrived, commencing duties on the 4th mst. Primary School Work.—Very gratifying improvement is shown in many of the schools visited. Among others, special mention should lie ma.de of Opunake, Oaonui and Stanley for steady effort, and for improvements already effected. Several interesting exhibit.-;, and reports continue to arrive, these dealing with such topics as crop records, herd yields, seed collection, lucerne trials, water-level and rainfall graphs, soil temperature observations, etc. The good effect of the Easter course, IDI7, is now evident. bearing on the above exhibits, attention is directed to the revised classes for competition in connection with the Taranuki Agricultural Society's Winter Show, of which a leaflet is attached. The Society has been very generous in the matter ot providing prizes, and in bringing its schedule into line with our school rural activities. The following primary schools were visited during the month:—Warea, Pungarehu, Inglewood, Pihima, Opnnake, Kaimata, Tariki, Tututawa ('2), Ratapiko, Stanley Waiongona, Dudley and Durham. Gifts of bulbs. —A large number of schools have been provided with jijircels of bulbs, the only stipulation being that the children exhibit blooms at Whiteley Flow?r Show. Mr, ,T Gibse'f, besides" ■providing the bulbs, lias gone to a great deal of trouble in this, connection, providing crltural notes as well as packing the bulbs. Technical College Classes. —ArrangenXints are now completed by which two days will be spent by instructors at Hawera Technical College classes, Mr. Burley supervising and taking science subjects and Mr. Dean the field work. At New Plymouth, at least two days per week havti been spent, and sometimes three. At Fitzroy, the ground is being prepared for experimental blocks of lucerne, berseem, and pasture mixtures, and the area in orchard has been receiving attention District High School Classes.—Thcs? continue as previously. Mr. Burley will hereafter spend four days at Stratford. This arrangement will allow more time to be spent on the model dairy farm. Every care must be taken in connection with tests and record's, and it is hoped hereafter to arrange more \isits from scholars of surrounding schools. Now Plymouth High School.—Work continued here until interrupted by tho term holidaysFarmers' Classes. —Work h new w»>.l in hand for the season, and by taking two lectures or visits per month, arrears are being made up. A great deal of interest is being manifested in these classes throughout the district as a whole, good attendances being secured in the majority of centres, and information lium been welcomed and acted upon. Very shortly all centres should haveclasses arranged for Up to the present. T.hof.e further removed have received most attention. Now, however, those around New Plymouth will lie set goIns. Meetings were held or visits made at Mii-ketawa. Warea, Pungarehu, Inglewood, Pihama, Ihaia, Kina, Normanby, Witoitoi. Maketawa, Tututawa (two days) Kaimata, Dudley Road A great deal of interest is being taken in the esln-blishinent of lucerne paddocks, and in the treatment of those already established. Ttn/'hors' Classes —These continue at Stratford and at New Plymouth At the later centre the class is a small cne, and not for examination work; but the students are keenly interested in their studies.