SECOND WINTER SHOW

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 2964, 31 May 1898, Page 4

SECOND WINTER SHOW

COMMITTEE OF HA.NAGRMKNT. President; Mr George T Martin. Vice-president: Mr H M Driver. _G.eter*l Committee: Messrs J Henderson, : J Tnglls, J Allison, D Tweedie, J Tow^h, J Farquharson, M Finch, W Gre\ J Grey, A Fraser, T Cannon; T Falconer, J Porter, B Ferguson, F Bastings, W Aitobeion, J Forsyth,- J Norrie, T Mills, W Thornton, W Drinnan, W Moore, X H Russell, E F Palmer. Life Members: Messrs R Murray, D M'Donald, W Tweedie, Ben. Secretary : Mr A Campbell. The second Winter Show, under the auspicei of the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club, was held in the Skating Rink on Friday last. The weather —we almost feel tempted to apologise for the intrusion of this much.-worn topic, but its importance is not to be denied — was fine during the day till shortly Vbefore 5 o'clock, when Borne smart showers fell. The evening was rather cold and rain showers fell at intervals. Si ice the preceding Monday the weather had been very unsettled —cold and Bhowery —and the chances were all too much in favor of Show Day being a wet one, but, however, the rain held off till evening. The attendance was very good throughout the afternoon, visitors being present from all parts of Bruce County, but at night, when a larger patronage may naturally be looked for, Dot nearly so many paid for admission as would have dene so under favorable circumstances, for the weather was too wet and unsettled for those living at any distance to venture ont. The > Milton Brass Bund greatly enlivened the proceedings in the evening by playing a large number of charming selections, and their peiform^nce was , much appreciated. - _•• In contradistinction to last year, the ' % exhibits were all placed in the inner hall, those in the Grain class and tbe greater portion of the Boot class being arranged round the room, while the Dairy Produce section and the Miscellaneous class were exhibited on a long . ""'table in tbe middle of tbe hall, and r were wire-netted off. The balance of the Roots section was placed on an 'adjoining table. On taking a walk round the hall and looking over the exhibits, the most striking, as was unanimously agreed, was the Miscellaneous class —the best aud most comprehensive collection of farm produce. There was oaly one entry, that of Mr John Wight Fairfax, and for attrac- .'» tivenesa and completeness it would haye been hard to surpass. Everything that a farm can produce was there — vegetables of all kinds, grains, fruits, preserves, and o'her articles too numerous to particularise. Among Bsveral objects of interest were a modei -- of a Scotch stack of fifty years ago, '?. with fliils, clue of straw, eddren, windlen, straw mat, miniature stooks, various kinds of weeds, <fee. Much abused bunny waß also not forgotten, and a ticket fastened on a pair of rabbits bore the following inscription : —" The rich man's enemy and the poor man's friend." The whole ■' was thß production of only eleven acres in Fairfax. The dairy produce as a whole was .. very creditable, and was spoken very highly of by the judges, who had rarh<-.r a difficult task in placing the winners in their sections for butter, as it was of such a uniform grade throughout. Tiieie was a matked falling off in the number of entries iv the miscellaneous portion of this class —home produce, it may ba called —for there were 76 entries last year to only 25 this year. , There was also a big falling off in the four sections for fruit, only three entries against twenty-nine last year, and in each of several of the other sections there were only one or two entries. Mrs Thornton was as usual very successful with her butter, for she secured three firsts, i 5 two seconds and a third. Ilere was a goodly array of scones (girdle and » oven), home-made bread, &c, and tbe collection of jams, jellies, and preserved fruits looked very attractive. The scarcity of eggs was manifested by Wl there bein^ only one entry for thia section. That \ there was only one entry for oatmeal cakes is also worthy of remark. >"" In the Grain class the wheat all round was. especially of a very good quality. There were six entrie3 for the beßt sack of wheat, for wh'ch the executors of the Jate P. M Gill offered a trophy of £10 103, tbe winner this year being Mr Jno. Patterson, his exhibit consisting of pearl velvet wheatIn red Tuscan wheat there were nine entries, and the only d:fference between the first and second wia that tbe former waß harder in the grain and # was a better quality milling wheat, while the latter was bolder grown though softer. For the next place it was juafc a tass-up between Messrs H. M. Driver and J. Adams. The velvet

ear wheat was! of excellent quality, as was also the' pearl velvet. In »he ; former, Me W. Aifirißtjrdisg -Bectitißd the firat. prized; Hia "sample b^ing >pur§r, and^ taking It all round, ha vihg. leas foreign seed in iti' The barley,- In the opinion of the judges, was apt .up to show' standard at all. J • long Tartailan pats Mr A. : tches'on had a very fair sample, while the second lot had more wild grain in it.: The Sparrowbills werai also very good, the first sample J being of a better color and riper than the others ; in reality, it was a short Tartar oat, and if it had been shown in its proper claes it might have taken a place. There were only two entries in grass seeds, from Mr Hitchoa, and though both, were about of equal qualLy, the sample placed first was a good deal cleaner. Oaly one sack of black oats was exhibited, which was of fair quality. The entries in the Root? claes were about on a with last year's The turnips were the most numerous, and were ali of good growth, forming a magnificent collection. Moat of them were grown with Surprise Island gaano, for which. Messrs J". A. Duthie and Co, are the local agents. The largest ptizataker was Mr J. Farquharson, who obtained three firsts and two seconds, and also first for the ten heaviest turnips (I86lbs), Mr Gt. M'Donald being second with 1491ba. In potatoes, which were excellent i x siz ) and quality, Mr JTarquharson also secured two firsts and a second, the latter in the section for the ten heaviest potatoes which was won by Miss M'Ewen (26 lbi). The cabbages were not very numerous though of a good quality, und as to the onions the judges remarked that they were fit for exhibition anywhere Mr T. J. Grant had a vury creditable collection of vegetables, and can ltd off five firsts aud three seconds. He evidently devotes the men' careful attention to the cultivation of garden produce. Tbe Miitou Pottery had a large stand in a corner of the Rink, arid displayed a quantity of maj Mcx ware? jars, teapots, vases, flower pots, &c, and lamps of potery aud fire clay. The stand attracted a good deal of attention and was greatly admired. The exhibit will be seat to Dunedin, and will be on view at the Winter Show there this week. The Mas3ey- Harris Co. had two of their well-known bicycles on view, aud a representative ably explained their construction and other particulars. Messrs Bringley and Co., Daoedin' had two of their " Champion " ranges on exhibition. This is tha lateßt improved article of its kind in the market, and has a very nice appearance. The mechanism is very simple, and it requires no setting. The oven is m^de of sheet steel, and is so constructed that «h^ heat passes right round it. Either wood or coal can be used, and by slight alteration in the fire-b.-x, wood of a considerable length cm be burned. Tne castings are all neatly finished, and the whole range ib got np in a workmanlike manner. The representative, M P. Beit, was successful in disposing of botb rangea before the show clo3ed. Considerable interest was evinced in the sheep-guessing competition, and a very large number of people had a gnese at its weight. The shetp, which was kindly donated by Messrs R. and T Mills, was won by Mr M. Fleming, the weight being 69|lbs. The small sum of sixpence was charged per guess and the receipts amounted to £3 7a f considerably more than the average person would care to pay for a -'ngle sheep, whatever its condition. Mr A. Campbell made an obliging secretary, and the class stewards did excellent service in their several departments, while the judges discharged their onerous and important duties very satisfactorily. The President, Mr G. T. Martin, was also very energetic in promoting the succeas of the Show. The sum of £15 odd was taken at the door, but this cannot be taken as representing the total attendance, for a large number of members of the Club with, in many cases, their families, were alno present. We are unable to give the results of the Field Turnip competition, as the judging has not yet been completed. The following shows the number of entries in the vailous classes for 1897 and 1898. The moat noticeable drop is in the miscellaneous class, where there is a Bhrißkage of 51 entries, of which frait is responsible for 26, and bread, econes, and oatmeal cakes for 22 entries. In grain, seed°, and roots there are 35 entries less. 1897 1898 Dairy Produce 44 39 Miscellaneous (bread, &o.) 76 25 Grain 53 37 Seeds 7 2 Roota .o 109 95 Miscellaneous ... „. 2 1 Field larnip Competition 27 23 328 222 Appended ia the prize list :—