TOKO. WINTER SHOW.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 57, 22 June 1908, Page 5

TOKO. WINTER SHOW.

-Children's Essays. FIRST PRIZE ESSAY. SENIOR DIVISICN-(By Bonheur)7 in treating a subject such as the "Winter Show, 'several main facts must be kept in viow. To some are given few opportunities of seeing the products of others to whom these may be auppliod by an agricultural show, from _ which many advantages are derived. First let us take the town people's opportunities of seeing the agricultural and pastoral products from the surrounding districts. In earlier days the dwellings were much more scattered than at present, and it was with a good deal of difficulty that even a fair number of people were able to be present at their shows, then always held in the opon air. Now, however, times aro much moro advanced, and we have to go only a short distance ovor bost of roads to see tho country products. Again, the show is mvaluablefor introducing an eager spirit of competition among the farmers. One farmor on visiting the show soea somo bags of grain a good doal superior to that grown by himself, and on tho vory spot ho resolves to produce in tho following year grain lhat will eclipse that of any other farmor. Tho oyos of another farmer may light on some very fino-loolring po tatoes which cause him to try his vory ui.most to boat this"* exhibit at the next show.

Some people attend the winter show not merely to look round and admire the exhibits, but also to moet country friends. Thus, now and then we see a group of old Scotchmen standing eagerly engaged in conversation about the good old times, and laughing heartily over some of their early pioneering experiences. Perhaps the show may be visited by mon from an entirely different district, and these can compare the products with their own, and see in what points they themselves are better. Finally, taking the show on the whole, it is very instructive to the general public. Everyono attending tho show is almost bound to see- something new, and goes away benefitted by it. Before we can have exhibits of any kind at a show, we must first have farmers wha are to a certain extent energetic. Now, in regard to the fact that every farmer owes an inevitable duty to the show, the Tokomairiro farmers would do well to notioe that their exhibits were conspicuous by their absence at our recent show. If every district in the Dominion contained such lifeless and disinterested farmers as our own, we should have no show at all. For instance, had it not boen for tho exhibits of several business firms and industries of Milton, the show would not have been worth the entry money. Although tho weather was in the afternoon boisterous and tho sky overcast, a good number of people attended the Winter Show, which eventuated at the Skating Rink on Saturday, May 30th, At night the capacity of the rink was taxed to the utmost, and moving about with any freedom was impossible. Ou entering tho show, the first thing that struck the eye was a beautiful shining motor car which looked very inviting with its comfortable cushioned seats, Hound this stood a good collection of iudios 1 and gents' bicycles, all shown by Mr Marshall. Near by Hitchon's Bacon Factory had a very effective display of bacon, hams, lard, and other products which showed how successfully this industry is being carried on. Drake's assortment of sauces, cordials and Derated waters, formed a pretty show, being screened with Bruce rugs. Moving round we now oomo to the Bruce Woollen Mill exhibit, which deserved special notice on account of its skilful and tasty arrangement. Here were shown bright coloured rugs, blankots, ladies' dress oweeds, and wool in all stages from the fleece to tho finished article. Next comes the production of the Flour Mill, which showed tho grain from the sheaf to tho oven. A rather uncommon exhibit in r,his division was a quantity of flaked rice, which was the first of its kind to bo locals iy shown. Not far from this, a collection of bricks and pipes proclaimed to us Lhat we have also this industry in our vicinity. The Milton lottery was well represented' in different kinds of jars, teapots and other useful household utensils. Another pretty display was that shown by Mr Johnstone, who had for inspection all kinds of furniture, including a beautifully grained and polished table. In the vegetable department we had targe beetroots, onions nearly six inches in diameter,' turnips, mangolds, veget» able marrows and potatoes, The school garden's exhibit of potatoes by far excelled any other in shape and quality. From the orchard were shown lovely blushing apples, small mellow ones, and numerous iuviting'jaud luscious varieties, Now we havo arrivod at the ladies' divi k sion, and here we find butter, scones, oatmeal cakes, honey, plum pudding and the home-made loaf, The assortments of fancy cakes formod no small feature of the ladies' exhibit, while the fancy butter was done up very prettily in crescents and epergnos. Finally we depart to tho animal side ot the show where we find large pillowy iboep in the best of condition. All these comprise the exhibits at our winter show.

FIRST PRIZE EJSSAY, JUNIOR DIVISION-(By Nethkbby). Tho Tokomairiro Farmers' Club held their tweltb annual winter show in the Skating Rink, Saturday, 30th May. Tliough tho day was cloudy and a cold Bouth west wind blowing, a good crowd turned up at the appointed time. The Good of a Show.—The good of a show is to bring a number of poople together so that thoy might see better things, and find out how to make their's better. A farmer finds out how to grpw I better crops, and the conditions they grow beat under. Thus the country is made richer by pooplo finding out how to grow the beat produce. I will now begin to describe the exhibits. / —Vegetables * Beet—The bußtMookiug boet had its root, formed in rings, and was round and fleshy. The ones that did not get a priise had not even rings. Vegetable Marrows—The beßt marrows 1 werei big,. 'aiiiiviifellrßliiipe^!-;^^:;;.^;,.^

L.olc—Those with tho long thick white put and broad leaves got the priae. The others wero either too thin, or had too little white.

Onions—This class was well competed for, and all the onions shown were good. There we»o a lot rf nbe bnvi ovalshaped onions, but iuo h'S 1 Oraig got the prize. Drumheads and Savoys—These were crisp-leaved, firm and round, Parsnips and Carrots—The prizes for these olasses wore given for the evenly tapering root. One lot of carrots was too much scraped, others were too green on tho top, and some had not even root, so they did not get a prize. Mangolds—The prizes for these olasses wero given chiefly for length and size, Turnips—The prize«takers wore round and firm ; the others had a spongy look. Among the best were the Swedes and purple tops ; tho green tops wore not so good. Some of the big turnips would woigh 16 or 17lbs, but none were as big as in former shows. Potatoes—There was a school exhibit of Herd Laddio and Dorwonts, put iu crates made out of fruit oases by tho Milton school- ohildron. They had the eye end turned up, so as to develop a strong stom. In the bags of potatoes the prizo-winners were the medium, cloar, Bmooth-skinned and oval-shaped ones. There wero ten potatoes which weightd 29lbs. —Fruit. There were a number.of exhibits of cook - mg and dossert apples. They were yellow, red, green, and some were purplish, and some that were high, and came to a point, aud others that were rounded, and some that were very small. Those that got a prize were big, rosy, and wellshaped. There were a few collections of apples of all shapes and sizes. Tnoy were arranged in tiers; on the bottom tier there were dessert apples, and on the next two cooking apples. On tho top, to set it off, were asparagus, ferns, and other pot plants. Cakes and Scones —In this class were some very good exhibits. I much ad~ mired the trays of small cakes, and I notiood that one very good tray did not got a prize, because it had pastry and biscuits on it. The tray lhat was Erst had cakes, but, these looked too much alilw. Tho whitest and most open«looking scones wore put first, but they all looked very attractive. —Dairy Produce.— The best eggs were of a nice oval shapo and big size, though it waß not easy seeing them in the basket. Tho butter looked while and nice, though I could hardly see the difference between the first and second prizes. There were two entries for fancy butter, and tho one that got a prize seemed to have been harder to do, for it was hanging about a vase and the other was made on a flat thing The loaves wore free and good-looking, and the oatmeal cakes were crisp and dry, —Grain.— The Rod Tuscan wheat was hard and round; the Pearl "Velvet and Velvet Ear wheat was softer, but well-filled. The oats looked free from husks and weeds. There wero also black oats, which were black all but one white stripe at the tip. There was also some oat chaff, which also was vory good. —Fat Stock.— There was a good lot of sheep. Some had long.thick wool, others had shorter but thicker wool, but the rnerinos had the shortest, thickest, most compact and best wool. —Special ExhibitsMr Johnstone's Exhibit.—At the entrance Mr Johnstone had an exhibit of drawing-room, bedroom, and parlor suites, a wardrobe, piano, sideboard, baby chairs, a tile grate with a mantelpiece, and a large table. Marshall and Summers—They had an euhibit of a big two-seated motor-car, motor-bikes made and in the process of manufacture, a lady's bike, and men's bikes. There was also a cup and shield won in motor races.

Hilchon Bros.' Exhibit—Hitchon Bros had uu oxhibifc of bacon and hams, with lard in tins and a boar's hoad in the centre, There were sprigs of broad-leaf at the top. Mr Drake's exhibit—Mr Drake had an exhibit of all the different crated waters, and Drake's Worcestershire sauce. To set it off, he had a background of ruga tastefu'ly arranged. The Woollen Mills' Exhibit—There were a number of different kind of rugs, plaids and blankets, flannels, cloth for shirts, and skeins ot yarn. There waß also the wool just off the sheep's backs cleaned, dyed, made into skeins, and then made into cloth for garment, interwoven with all colors. M'Gill's Exhibit—Messrs M'Gill had an exhibit of all the different kinds of graia in little boxes. Thoy had them in all the diffttront etagps of preparation and the finished foods! uffj, and the offal and dust. To set it off was a vnse of oats, with oats at each side, a shield won for the best flour, and a lot of scones and cake made out of their produce. Mr A. J. Cameron's Exhibit—Mr A. J. Cameron had an exhibit of men's bicycles made and in the course of construction,

Mr Jones' Exhibit—Mr Jones had an exhibit of bricks for s building purposes, and trellised-like bricks for paving, and also drain pipes. Milton Pottery Exhibit—There wore butter and cheese crooks, pickle and jam jars, cake dishes, pie dishes, and teapots all well finished and beautifully made. There wore also chicken fonts to keep tho water cool and clean by shading it from the sun. Flax—There was a sample of scutched and ouo of unscutched flax. It was of a yellowish color and about five teot high. Chi'drens' Pets—The first for a longwoolled sheep. The second was for two turtle doves. Tho third was for four yollow, black and wh.i.te guinea pigs, and there vi'ere also, two white rabbitß with pink eyes,