ESSAYS ON THE PRODUCE SHED.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 57, 8 March 1911, Page 6

ESSAYS ON THE PRODUCE SHED.

Following. ■■ is. the text of tlio Thinning essays on "The .Produce SheS" at the recent A. and P. Show, written by Nora Young, Ethel Boyee, and Muriel Innes respectively .* On the 22nd and 23rd November was held the annual A. and P. Show. It was a beautiful day, and there were a great many people there. We arrived there on the afternoon of the 23rd, and, determining to <?njoy myself and have a good look round, I started first with going to the eastern end and stopping to admire the artistic way in which the Grovetown school exhibit was arranged. There were in this exhibit several vases of flowers, two dressed fowls, cakes, green gooseberries, a large assortment of birds' eggs, preserves, ornamental grasses, and, which shows that even the men were taking an interest in this exhibit, there was a small bunch of very fine grain. Then there was some elaborate fancy work, which, if it was done by the scholars, was very creditable. The drawings and paintings, also done by the children; were very pretty indeed, and, as I looked on and saw what other scnyols could do, I was rather sorry thai-' our school did not compete for the prize. The next thing that I noticed was the bacon and wool. The bacon looked as though the men who had cured it had been very careful in keeping it free from dirt. The wool also was free from dirt. When I had finished looking at these things I passed on to the dressed jfowl stand, which was arranged in very good taste. Next I came to +he fancy and plain butter display* This fancy butter, no doubt, looked very pretty when first arranged, but, on account of the heat, it had melted. There were a good many different kinds of butter there, such, as factory. dairy, and separator. It was 'ootrii salt and fresh, and looked as though a good deal of time and trouble had been spent upon it to make it look

so very nice. In a small box, above the butter, was a hive of bees. it was very afhusmg to watch the busy little creatures running to and frp from their cells, where they weTe eating the honey they had already made. Then on the other side were some neat little cases wherein were samples of the different grains. It was quite free from weeds, and very large. , But in the centre of the shed was a large table prettily decorated with iced biscuits, cakes, short-bread, oatmeal biscuits, ginger-bread, sponge cakes, currant cakes, and bread. They were all made with the greatest care, and looked very ,nice. The bread especially looked very light and tempting, and the. judge must have had a very difficult task set him when he came .along .to judge it. There was, besides the things-before mentioned, jam and preserves. The preserves, anioug whien 1 noticed peaches, plums, apricots, pears and gooseberries, all of which looked very inviting, had been so well preserved that they looked as though p they had just been freshly pulled from the tr<Kiong the jam there was also an exhibit of jelly, which looked very firm Altogether I though* that the people who had shown their exhibits were all deserving of lg for the care and trouble they must have taken to get them to such a good state as. they did.

At the Agricultural and Pastor^ 1 Show the produce shed aroused oonSderable interest. .- On'entemj. the shed I noticed m the centre ot_ the Som a long table arrayed with all kinds of delicacies, including; cakes, bscuit?, bread and scones The cakes were beautifully made showing the pains the competitors had taken in. the making of them._ There were various kinds, such as seed, plum, sponge, shortbread, and gingerbread. Among the' plain and fancy biscuits 1 noticed many pretty designs. Some of the biscuits were iced they Mooted rery tempting. The bread was very light and well cooked. At one <md of the room was tKe Grovetown School exhibit, which was very tastefully arranged. Among the things exhibited I noticed gooseberries, re^ currants, grapes, cherries, preserved fruit, cakes and everything lmagma.ble that is produced on. a .farm. Judging by tho fine collection ot birds' p«»or I think th* boy* must be ardent birds-niters. Considering the. small sbaefi given for thp exhibit. I thought the exhibit a solendid *>n«. •j^he farmers were «lso interested i" the exhibit, as a shVf of solendi^ oatsi was on view. Aim. tnrnms a^nd other vegetables were The potatoes were very large, and ap■oeared to be free from blie-ht. After leaving the stall I wended nr^ wav along one side of the room, where I saw many spectators, including farmers, gazing at the corn shut out of harm's way m tidy little boxes with glass lids. It is quite evident that Shows do much good to a country by the large entries, of course every competitor does not receive a prize, but then he has a splendid opportunity of looking at the prize-winners' exhibts, consequently he is encouraged to grow better corn, rear better sheep, and for the ladies to try to excel in cooking. At the other side of the room were the preserves and bacon. The ladies evidently had taken considerable trouble in their preserves, as the skins were as smooth as if they had been freshly picked from the trees. The bacon was also well cured, and every bacon-curer knows how difficult a task this is. Above this was the wool, free from tangles and rich in oil. The farmers now are rearing better sheep, consequently the wool is of a high quality, so the farmers will reap the. benefit. The last things I Noticed before leaving the shed were the butter and a box of bees. The butter was of various kinds, such as fresh, salt, dairy and factory. There was a basket of fancy butter very artistically arranged, but owincr to the heat had melted, spoiling its whole appearance. Above the butter was a box of bees, the usually energetic workers were now eating the honey the had already gathered.

A very interesting i>art of this year's annual Agricultural and Pastoral Show was the produce department. One of the most attractive exhibits was tEat of the Grovetown School. The name, Grovetown, was, worked prettily in flowers. Nearly all the exhibits were done by the school-children themselves, and all were done very well. A very well done iced cake, the work of one of the children, looked very appetising. Among the entries were a good few pickles and chutneys, some fruit ripe red cu^ants- and cherries, and some

vegetables. On a shelf above these were some very pretty paintings and drawings, done by some of the schoolchildren, and on this shelf there were also a few birds' nests, and a. good collection of numerous different kinds of-birds' eggs. Some flowers were arranged prettily in vases, and there were some pretty little button-hole bouquets, made by the children. Altogether, the Grovetown exhibits were'a great success, being well done, and prettily arranged". The otfier exhibits were very good also, among which was some very appetising shortbread and gingerbread. A little further along the room was quite a large array of fancy biscuits, in numerous different makes and shapes. The plum cakes, seed cakes, sponge rolls and sponge sandwiches were all done Very well and looked enticing, and the buns, scones, and pastry were also done well. There were a good many entries for homemade butter, and the butter which, was in fancy shapes was worked very cleverly. The bread had a shelf almost to itself, and looked very good. There were quite a number of entries for corn, which consisted chiefly of wheat, and other such corns. Though there were very few'entries for dressed fowls, those which there were looked ver^ dainty. They were on wooden blocEs the shape of horse-shoes, and pieces of parsley were placed here and there at their sides. The ducks and hens eggs, of which there were a good many, were very, large. On the whole the produce department was a 1 great success, and I think it would make those who Have not put in anything in previous Shows want to put in things next time, and woufd make those who have won prizes try to do even better next time.