AGRICULTURAL SHOW at OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 911, 21 January 1868, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL SHOW at OTAGO.

The third annual show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society of Otago was held on the 9th instant, in the North Dunedin Recreation Ground. The weather was very unfavorable, and the attendance consequently rather thin. The Daily Times, speaking of the exhibition, says : — " The show, as a whole, was not up to either of tho two previous ones ; in some of the classes, ifc was better than either of them. The number of sheep was not nearly as large as ought to have been shown. The staple stock of the province was not, in any sense, adequately represented. There was an especial weakness as regards merinos ; and the most numerous and the best class, as a whole, was the Leicesters, those of Mr. Murray being particularly good. Other long-woolled sheep were fair in number and good in quality. Two reasons have been assigned for the small show of sheep and for the conspicuous absence of merinos. It is said that tlie trouble of bringing sheej) to Dunedin, for exhibition, is great ; that the risk, supposing trouble to be not thought of, is very great ; and that any breeder or grazier who has once incurred tlio trouble and risk, is not likely to repeat the experiment. The second reason alleged, is a shyness on the part of the owners of choice sheep to bring them together for competition • — a feeling which, it is said, has grown out of the late long correspondence as to the .relative merits of breeds, and their adaptability to profitable grazing in Otago. ProTbably, the former reason will generally be thought to have been the more operative ; aud it is also probable that some announced important sales have also had influence. Whatever the cause or causes, the display of sheep yesterday was not a fitting one for the annual gathering of the Otago Agri cultural and Pastoral Society. The cattle were praised on all hands. Some persons, whose opinions wero worthy of the greatest respect, held that it was " the prettiest and best show yet seen in Otago ;" and those who did not become quite so enthusiastic, had nothing but admiration for the Ayreshire cows, many of which were sample animals. There were also some fine bulls ; though as to their precise relative merits, there was much difference of opinion amongst those qualified to judge, but not acting as judges. Probably, the most talked of cattle -were those shown by Mr. Murray and Mr. Gow. The Hon. M. Holmes was, we believe, the breeder of some of the prize-takers now owned by Mr. Kennedy. Amongst the horses, the hackneys were the most numerous as a class, and they included a good many that were very excellent. They disputed the preeminence of attractiveness with the entire horses. The draught entires were headed by Glasgow Gebrdie; but Young Hero was admired as a most promising threeyear old."