THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 278, 23 November 1899, Page 8

THE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

The ninth annual Show held under j the. auspices of the Auckland Provin- ! cial Agricultural Association Avas ; opened at Potter's Paddock on 17th November. Fifty years ago there were I only 725 horses, 6503 cattle, and 3_SO sheep in the whole province, and the area, of land under cultivation was proportionately small. But from small beginnings the show has gradu- ! ally increased m size and importance, growing with the province. And in j view of the great strides made in i agriculture of recent years in this ; province, the Auckland Agricultural Show, with proper encouragement and good management, should have a pros-. perous future. j The number of entries was j more numerous than those of any previous show. The total number of entries in the section for horses w_,s : 318, of which 54 are of heavy draught stock, and 264 light horses and ponies, j In cattle there was 193 entries, which is the record number in this class of stock for any previous Auckland Show. Sheep numbered 154 entries, be- j ing 30 or 40 more than last year. Pigs were exhibited in about equal numbers to those, of last year, viz., 33 entries. The prizes offered for farmers' dairy butter attracted a very large, competition, no less than 274 entries being recorded for these classes. Added 'to the other dairy produce entries the total is 395. Besides these there were a large, number of local industries exhibits, making a total qf entries for the Show about 1400, which is the largest ever received. The attendance ou Saturday was an exceedingly large one — far larger, in fact, than one would have expected, considering the unpleasant state of the weather. The attendance of spectators and others is estimated at over eight thousand persons. The takings at the gate totalled £382 8/, against. £363 last, year. The grandstand was crowded, and dense masses of people lined the enclosure, while crowds promenaded the grounds to view the exhibits. A COMPARISON. The following table enables a comparison to be made between the entries received in the various sections of the Show this year and last: — 1898. 1899. Blood stock 7. 8 Saddle horses 132 110 Hunters 42 36 Harness horses —; 61 66 Draught stock 57 56 Cattle 147 200 Sheep 126 157 Pigs 35 35 Dairy produce and sundries.. 209 398 Implements and vehicles .. 231 300 . Sheep Driving 11 10 Biding, driving, etc. 41 42 1099 1418 THE CHAMPIONSHIPS. The following is a list of the winners of the champion prizes in the various classes of the show: — Draught entire: T. D. Beid's Salisbury Yet. Draught, mare: William Taylor's Christina F. • McCormick. Pedigree Shorthorn bull: New Zealand Land Association's roan yearling. Pedigree Shorthorn cow or heifer: New Zealand Land' Association's Larkspur V. Pedigree Hereford bull: "Williamson Bros. ' .. Pedigree Hereford cow 'or heifer: Richard Reynolds. . Pedigree Ayrshire bull: Avondale AsyJum Farm's Ayrshire. Pedigree Ayrshire cow or heifer: H. T. Gome's Violet IV. Pedigree Polled Angus bull: Williamson Bros.' Tyrone. Pedigree Polled Angus cow or heifer—Richard Reynolds. Pedigree Jersey bull: C. Day's Sailor Boy. Pedigree Jersey cow or heifer: C. Day's Queen Bountiful 11. Lincoln ram: J. R. McEhvain. Lincoln ewe: Luke Ballard. Leicester ram: New Zealand Land Association. Leicester ewe: New Zealand Land Association. Romney Marsh ram: J. Barugh. Romney Marsh ewe: J. Barugh. Shropshire Down ram: Thomas Coates, Shropshire Down ewe: F. W. Burnett, Berkshire boar: A. Kidd. Berkshire sow: Edwin IT. Kelly. Yorkshire boar: Avondale Asylum. . Yorkshire sow: Edwin H. Kelly.