THE SHOW.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1131, 11 March 1910, Page 2

THE SHOW.

All Autumn Display.

JLN DRILL HALL

Flowers, Vegetables, and Fruit.

The Season and the Society.

Although the rain is falling without steadily, persistently, refreshing the thirsty soil, giving renewed life to vegetable and flower, but "damping the spirits of the careless who only see one day ahead at a time, all is bright within the usually drab old Drill Hall to-day. The occasion is the Autumn Exhibition of the Feilding Horticultural Society. If the walls of the Drill Hall had tongues (as well as ears), they could tell of many flower shows, some good, some poor, but all the result of honest effort to encourage the beautification of the earth and its homes, to assist Nature in her beneficient task of setting forth the Beautiful and the flood for the happiness of the sometimes- ungrateful and undiscerning biped who bears the self-designated, but still justified, title of Lord of tiie Creation. To-day's show is good. It marks a .substantial advance on previous Shows, proving that the organisers of the Society, though fewami not always given the help and sympathy .they ought to receive, are progressive and not afraid of work. | Added to the schedule this time is a Cottage. Garden class, for amateurs who employ no paid assistants, even casually, in their gardens; a School Garden class; and a substantial award list offered by the Feilding Fruitgrowers' Association. Each of these additions has been a proved benefit, as may be seen by the number and quality of the exhibits entered in their specific classes. To take a flying trip through tho catalogue, it is perceived that the pot plants have shown no increase in number, though the flowering' and foliage plants are excellent specimens of their particular varieties. Mr L. W. Brown, who generaly has something not on the schedule to exhibit, this time shows a lovely little mock cherry, with ripe and green berries on it. Begonia, fuchsia, and geranium are the most prominent. In the Cut Flowers section, there are several fine collections, which go to prove that there is little justification for the complaint that the Show is too late for flowers. Asters, dahlias, nasturtium, phlox, ssweet peas, verbenas, and zinnias are the more numerous in this section. The asters ■show great delicacy of form and' colour, the dahlias (especially the single variety) are fine samples, dainty phlox make one feci better for studying their quiet beauty. Double dahlias are to the fore in the Cottage Garden class, which is generally well filled. As is usually the case, the decorative classes have been liberally treated. Baskets and bowls of flowers, bouquets of all kinds, and ladies' sprays make a very fine show. To ■say the children's classes were better than usual would be going a long way, but to the visitor they really appeared so. Why any man or boy should be without a buttonhole bouquet iv his coat, or any lady or girl without a spray of flowers, is not understandable when it is seen what the children can do. There are three mantel decorations, and only two table decorations, and it is a pity this section is not more liberally supported. Three schools have come forward with exhibits—Ohakea, Halcombe, and Taonui. Each, school has brought in a splendid assortment of vegetables, comprising beans (French and broad, carrots, onions, vegetable marrow, potatoes, turnips, etc. Too much praise cannot be given to the school children for the skill they have shown and the care taken in bringing to such perfection their exhibits. The Fruit section contains a fine exhibit of apples, there are several very tempting bunches of grapes, pears are good if not numerous, blackberries, chestnuts, etc., are present, but not in strength. The general vegetable class contains really good collections, perhaps better than anything before seen in the hall, with the exception of cabbages, whicli have been affected by the fly. Cookery, preserves, sauces, and confectionery have been well supported once more, but there should be a larger number of exhibitors. Following is the list of awards: — General (judges, Mesdames P. Thomson and D. 11. Montgomery)- — Jam Roll, Mrs A. 11. McLean 1. Butter (separator), .Miss C. H. Thompson J. Duck eggs (hy weight), J. Shapleski 1. Honey, in com:.', J.. T. Brown 1. Jams, three jars, Mrs Billman 1. Loaf, home made (white), Mrs C. H. Thompson 1. Plate pastry. Miss M. "Walton commended. Pikelets. Miss M. Petersen 1. Sance<= (three kinds), Miss Goldfinch.