NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 236, 29 June 1908, Page 3

NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW.

FINAL NOTES. / The attendance at tho.Manawatu Winter Show on Tuesday last exceeded the. average, but on Wednesday and Thursday it was below tho average. On .Friday the number of visitors surpassed all expectations, and although tho figures aro not complete it is considered that the takings will not be far behind thoso of last year. Tho various exhibitors in tho machinery havo reaped a good harvest, which practically assures their reappearance at the next show. In tho sheep weight-guessing competition, G. Owen, J. Hurley, A. H. Bryant, and R. Lloyd tied for first prize, with a guess of' 1161b. In--pig weighfcguessing competition, the following guessed -..the correct weight (93i1b.), and divide £6 prize-moneyG. Milson (Ashhurst;,- P. Simpson (Feilding), G. R. Sat-chett (Oroua Bridge), H. J. Argyle.and G. A. Bailey. (Bunnythorpo), C.. Andrews (Taranaki), and W. Davison (Palmerston North).. • A Departmental officer told a Dominion reporter at the Show that they did'not require more space for tho Departmental displays.' .For-tne next year they would have to reorganise, as their display was far too perplexiug and not instructive enough.- They would require to cut out a number of the oxhibits, and in order that the public could grasp the idea of what fruit, root, or shrub was adapted for each particular class of soil they would have to ticket up the.information tho exhibits. They should commence with tho particular class of exhibits suitablo for Manawatu soil, and. tho others should follow in turn, but it should -.be a spccial feature to acquaint the public with the class of soil each partipular variety was adapted for, and grown , on. ; Farmers could then grasp the, information at a glance, and the material valuo of tho Department's exhibit would be intensified.

The revolving bicycle wheel, which was tho subject of guesses for prizes as to tho speed it would- travel during tho Show, seems to havo deceived most of the guessers. The average guess was 1 about 250 miles, but the distance actually recorded by tho distance-register ■\vas only 110 miles. • The 'officers of the Agricultural Department had a busy time on Saturday packing .up the fruit and other exhibits, a portion of which is 'to bo taken' to the Hamilton Show. Several farmers of Manawatu extended their congratulations to Mr. Gilruth on his excellent and instructive display at tlio show; and, on the courteous manner in which his assistant, Mr. Barker, pointed out the various interesting features. The exhibit is the first display of. the kind that has'been introduced at the Manawatu Show. San Joso Scalc. Among the exhibits of tho Government Biologist, were some specimens of the San Joso scale, recently discovered in Nelson orchards. They, woro bottled on a couple of pears, thero being about 200 of the little black, scales oil,each pear.' The story of tho discovery and ramifications of tho outbreak is interesting. It appears that quite by accident,,Mi-. Blackmore lately came into possession of a pear that wa3 marked with somo peculiar pinkish purple dots. From what.ho had learned of the traces of San Joso scale, lie bccanic suspicious, ' and' lie iriimediately ; traced the origin of tlio pear and examined tho trees. It was a large orchard, and tho .search was tedious, but finally the suspected pest, was found on a solitary, small, tree. Mr. Blackmore thereupon-ascertained the uamo of the nurseryman from whom tho'-tree was purchased, and lie found the post, thero also. It' would'-have "been-i quite' :J lega:l i; for , -" , 'Mr., Blackmore to quarantine the whole nursery, but the owner made .this unnecessary by undertaking to canccl all thp orders lie had taken for fruit trees. ' Ho also furnished Mr. Blackmore with a full list of'all the persons.to whom ho .had sent fruit, trees. An examination of the orchards tlrus indicated resulted in tho discovery of other infected places, and. proper .measures wore at once taken to have the pest' destroyed. In tho courso of tho'investigation, an infected tree was discovered, which had been supplied from a nursery in the Auckland Province. Although these facts seem'to indicate that tho infection is somewhat widespread, and duo doubtless to' insufficient inspection or fumigation of a parcel of imported nursery stock, Jrlr. Blackmore wjr heard telling visitors to the show that he believed the infected trees in tho country were very few, and,that tho pest would quickly disapp"ar .under tho lime-salt-sulphur treatment. Ho wa3 ill. no way anxious as to the. final result.