8.—2.

[Appendix C

of shade trees. Especial attention is being paid to the propagation in each school of plants suitable for distribution to surrounding schools. A great deal of attention is also given to the study of pasture plants and to the cultivation of lucerne and other fodder crops suited to dairyfarming and to our climate and soil. A point requiring attention is the overrunning of the school-grounds by horses, either those of pupils or those of residents on the occasion of entertainments. Until this practice is stopped by the fenoing-off of a portion for a horse-paddock, in many schools no improvements worth mentioning can be attempted.

WANGANUI. Extract from the Repoet of the Director of Manual and Technical Instruction. Agriculture,. —The supervisors "of the work in this branch report that the outdoor work on the whole showed a decided improvement. Outside environment received considerable attention in a number of schools, a feature being made of Arbor Day. Tree-planting was much in evidence. In Wanganui the borough gardener presented the schools with a large number of trees, and it. is satisfactory to note that a. good percentage of these are growing well. Improvement could be marie in some of the gardens by undertaking some definite work, and not merely filling the gardens with plants. The necessity for doing work in the garden to answer questions that have been proposed during the term preceding the beginning of outdoor work in the spring is stressed. The experiments should be followed carefully, and the results of the observations noted regularly. Much good work is begun but never finished. Sometimes this result is brought about, by trying too much, and sometimes by being too late with the various crops. Notebooks in most schools showed an improvement, but some of the larger schools have not quite reached the required standard in this respect. There is still room for improvement in the character of the indoor experimental work, notwithstanding the definite instructions laid down in the Leaflet issued by the Board. The work should, as far as possible, be experimental and observational. The scheme should show a number of principles that are to be dealt with during the winter period. Experiments to illustrate these principles should then be selected, the pupils being given an opportunity of trying to devise experiments. It is surprising how fertile in ideas some pupils are. Several experiments in the list issued by the Board were suggested by pupils. When the experiment has been worked and understood a record should be entered in the notebook. Secondary pupils from the Wanganui Technical College and the Taihape, Huuterville, Marton, Bull's, and Feilding District High Schools carried out work at the Marton School farm throughout the year, and attended the annual stock camp at Almadale and the annual shearing and wool-classing camp at Mount Stewart. At the Marton Farm the work was carried on with some difficulty owing to the uncertainty of the weather and the difficulty of procuring horses and implements when required. A change in the method of working these plots is contemplated. The thanks of the Board are due to Sir James Wilson for his generosity in giving the Board the use of the land and for providing horses and implements. The stock camp at Mr. Short's Almadale farm was held in March. Thirty-seven boys attended. Lessons were given on Clydesdales, Romneys, and Herefords. The outstanding features of each breed were taught, and then other animals were studied by way of comparison. Several visits were paid to Mr. Short's Parorangi farm, where Mr. Short himself showed the boys over the granary, greenhouse, garden, and stables, and in addition gave some very interesting talks on culling and flock-marking. The examination of the boys oocupied about a day and a half, and was arranged for by Mr. Short, who examined the papers on Clydesdales and Romneys, Mr. Swift taking those on Herefords. In each case animals were selected that were new to the boys. Mr. Short generously donated a gold medal to the winner in each class. In addition to the revisal lessons in camp two lectures, illustrated by lantern-slides, were given. The shearing and wool-classing camp was held in December at Mount Stewart, twenty-four boys being in attendance. Some 850 sheep and lambs were shorn, and the owner, Mr. A. Matthews, expressed his great satisfaction at the character of the work. done. In addition to the actual work ol' shearing, instruction was given in the grinding and setting of shears, wool-classing, pressing and branding, drafting, ..fee. A work-list was set up each day to ensure that each boy received instruction in all branches of the work. For the training of teachers, pupil-teachers, and probationers classes were held at Wanganui, Feilding, anil Mangaweka throughout the year. As it was decided that a two-years course was necessary to enable students to qualify for the certificate in practical work in science, first-year students were given a course in general, science and second-year students a course based on the requirements for Class I) agriculture. In the latter class the majority of the students did a very considerable part of their experimental work at home. This work was almost wholly confined to germination and growth, but it is hoped that next year the work will include the study of soils and insect and fungus pests. The instruction given at the classes was not only on the lines of giving a training in the science of agriculture and in the practice of the art, but in the methods of teaching agriculture in the schools. Except in a few cases the work of the students was satisfactory. Home exercises were set each week, and on the whole were well done. A winter school for uncertificated teachers was held in July. The junior students were given a course in general soience, and the seniors a course in agriculture for the D certificate. Lessons in first aid and ambulance were given in the evenings. Woodwork and Domestic Science. —Classes were held at Wanganui, Patea, Marton, Bull's, Rongotea, Feilding, Palmerston North, Foxton, Apiti, Pohangina, Kimbolton, Hunterville, Taihape, and Ohakune. 668 pupils from twenty-nine schools took woodwork, and 653 pupils from

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