AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 January 1929, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.

THEIR VALUE TO THE FARMER,

“The agricultural show has a very definite value for the non-competing farmer,” says the ‘'Christchurch Star.” “This farmer is' perhaps most widely represented in the average show attendaoiee. He usually comes to the show with two things ini mind—to learn something which he can take back home with him and put to- us© during the coining year, and to enjoy a pleasant outing after a 'hard season’s work. f ‘ The first place that a farmer heads foT when he lands at the- ground is the long line of live stock pens, where arc housed the pure-bred animals gathered together from the- best breeding farms in Ms se/etion of the country. Hive stock breeding is a progressive science. The champion bull or stallion of a few years ago would not be in the money in modern competition. So, in -conference with other breeders in attendance at the show and in studying the great herds assembled there, the farmer finds out something new each year which wilt make his herd a more' profitable, investment for him. Perhaps he negotiates the purchase of a bull or a boar for purposes of improving his herd. The result is that in a few years this farmer has a herd which is paying a good many times larger dividends' than the one ho owned before he started his periodical visits to the show.

“From the live stock rings the farmer passes on to the fruit and general farm produce section. Here, in company with hundreds -of other farmers come on the same mission, he secs hew fruit on exhibit compares with -that in his own fields. If the exhibits at the show are better than those he, has at home he wants to- know why. And here it is that he- learns the new story of lime for the soil, crop rotation, and dozens of other new wrinkles whic-xt have become by-words of agricultural science in recent years. The important thing about learning theA) principles at a. show is that the farmer can see here, with his own eyes, the resulfcs' nc.complished by the advocated methods. It is no story-book idea. He is a practical man, and, seeing that someone else is raising better produce than he, is ready to adopt his neighbour ’s method. “The first shows were largely show places for things that people had to sell. They have never grown entirely arwaiy from this. Thei machinery and equipment exhibits are to-day the most important retainers from the old system. Here in a single exhibition; area one may study practically everything that is new in farm equipment, farm home conveniences', business machinery and like devices. Amusements will always be a part of any successful show. Human nature revolts against education and uplift when administered in too large doses without a semblance ot sugar coating. But education is the primary feature of a show—the great spirit at the back of it.”