REVIEW OF THE SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

REVIEW OF THE SHOW.

So much interefet has been displayed by the public generally in the recent show at Tahuna Park that some further [critical notes regarding it seem called for.

The show as a whole was more thau up to the ordinary standard, both as to number and character of exhibits. Perhaps the most prominent points of the display were the Leicester and Lincoln sheep, the Ayrshire and polled Angus cafctlf 1 , and the shorthorns, which latter though not nuinprous were of excellent quality. Ths heavy horse class was a'so very tveJl represented, and if somo of our friends from Oamaru — the Fon M. Holmeti aud Mr Riid, of Elderslie— .-•ould nrike up their minds to pit their highcl?ss stock against t-hofe of the Southern bretflev'iS, n would be extremely interesting, and wot only interest mi g but 'instructive. It is a wellknown fact aroong breeders that .1 person can never judge his own stock simply by seeing his to-day and somebody else's to-morrow, and that no judgment is of any use whatever unless the stock are actually placed alongside each other. We were pleased to notice that the Hon. M. Holmes, both in L^icesters and Lincolns, gave the public the benefit of inspecting the very excellent sheep he has of late been breeding. Mr Holmes for some years abstained from sending sheep to our show, and we may say we are satisfied the Agricultural Association here are very much indebted to him for haying brought his sheep in such strong force this year, and v.-c trust that not only he, but Mr Reid (of Elderslie) aud Mr Meulove will next year appear in the show ground in the Lincoln classes. It is a pity that the two last-named gentlemen did not seek to enter into the competition this year. V'c nvti ;_-! «(] to i>o! j.-> , r-n-ve'.vr, sh;.t '.a Leicet-rers Mr Keid had a considerable number of entries, and showed some pheep of very excellent quality. Mr Menlove, iv cattle, has always been a consistent shower, and we hope that he may continue to give us the benefit of the splendid show of shorthorns ha is able to make. Tho New Zealand and Australian Land Company are of cpurse one of the main stand-bys of the association, as they seek always to make the largest possible number of entries in any class for which they have stock suitable. Mr Shennan, in merinos, has been well to the front of late, and

while Mr Pulton's take more after the Leicester. Mr Reid's entries carried off most of the prizes, which shows clearly that tho judges preferred the heavier woolled sheep ; but it 13 not unlikely that another year judges may be found to prefer Mr Fulton's to Mr Reid's. The Southdowns made a very fair show, aud come for the most part from Canterbury ; Mr Deans and Mr Grarforlh showing some very good sheep of this slass. The association is, we are sure, very much indebted to Mr Deans for the entries he has made in this class, as well as for his exhibition of shorthorn cattle. The principal merit of Soufeh3own sheep is for breeding lambs for butchers or foe freezing, as it is found that this cross proiuces the best lambs for slaughtering. The arizes were pretty well divided between Mr Deans and Mr Garforth. The Shropshire Downs were in greater force than in the previous /ear— the exhibitors being Messrs Rowley and rlamilton, Mr F. M. Rickman, and BIrH. Driver. Vlessrs Rowley aud Hamilton carried off most of ;he pr;z?s, but Messrs Rickman aud Driver ilso secured part of the honours. A great feature of the cattle exhibited was :he Ayr&hires. For number of entries and ]uality this was perhaps the finest show of iyrshires ever made in the colony. Among the ixhibitors were to be found the well-known names of Messrs A. and J. M'Farlane, W. 2owau, K. B. Ferguson, and James Gemmell. Fhere were also other new exhibitors, who are beginning to make a show in the yards, and no Joubt in time, when they have for a few years exhibited against superior stock they will, by legrees, work up to a higher pitch of quality, [t seems to us that the necessity for making the iyrchire class the leading feature of the cattle v our show is becoming more appareut every fear, as the dairying industry has during the past two years taken a considerable stride, and ive believe that during the next three or four pears it will increase in importance to a very .arge extent. Considering the superior climate R?e have here dairying is to our mind the agricultural interest which has more outcome in it jhau almost any other thing. During tho past rew years it is a noted fact that the growth of jrain has been unremunerative, and id mauy the produce hf.s not even covered the cost af the actual cultivariou of the land, to say aothiug of the rent to the owuer. This has not jaen the caio in the dairying business, as during ill these dull years thos-e who confined themselves to this interest, and who have been well Lip to their work, and have produced the best quality of butler and cheese, have consistently secured for thomselvee, 1106 only a fair return tor their own lubour, but also a reasonable return in the shape of ronfc for their land. The following instance of what may be done with land in dairying may bn of interest tr> those who contemplate going into this line of business. We do not indicate where the land is situated, aaorc than that it is on the Taieri plain. On 100 icros of this land a man and his family have settled. The proprietor gives him the use of the land as well as of 50 cowri. Ho has a cottage to live in free of reut, and ha* also the use of appliances — such as a milking yard, cowshed, &c. During the last milking season from the 50 cov,'3 he produced mi!k"f'*r which ho received from the factory, at the raie of 3d per gallon, £3J 2. The arrangement th.io this tenant grazier has with his landlord is that he gets l^d per gallon for milking the cows aucl delivering the milk at tilie factory, the balance of the value of th.' jnilk going to the proprietor as a return for the use of tha cow.? and land. It will be seen, therefore, that this men ba 5 - for his milking seaeon received on "-halt of tbe cjil ire produce or bhe milk, equal to £15G, rhe landlord receiving an equal amount. Assuming tho cows to have depreciated XI per head during tlje season, this would leave £lo6 ai> th<« rehmi foi fhelOO acresof laud occupied to cover int c retsr. oa the value and rates. From the foregoing it will appear that not only has the tenant farmer received £3 a \vi ek besides a free houfo for his own labour Hiid the labour or hit. hoys and p'rls who assisted in milkiijg, but the landlord has benefited to what we bc-lieve to be an extent equally good. Owing to the rise in ehecso th:.t has taken place of late, it is expected that milk during the coming henson will likely command 3|d per r.f'llou, aud at this rate the proprietor will rcc.fivo a- larger return thpu he did during the ps'i.v ."x-t^nn, IVo a< % e sur? tLa<, t'lfi statement eoji f ained herein as to the actual working of a rx> ; l'r farm for the past year will prove of conM.lerable interest to nil settlers, and we are «rl.ifl to find that, even at the very low price at v\hich the milk was purchased tho result was saMsfactory alike to the tenant and the owner. Wr believe that this tcni'i»t milking system is )>!-■!>£ extruded, and we fe^l f-atLfied that as tbe interest becomes more developed, cor.biderable extension will take piece in ic. One special feature nonneeted. with tho venture is that it ci al.les a man with no mcasid at all, but who is willing and able to apply himself siuaclily and thoroughly to the work, to make a comfortable living. The reference made here to this milking business is perhaps somewhat abide from show work, still vie hive no doubt our readers will be glad enough to get these details, os showing the development of the dairying business in a manner which is somewhat novel in this country, but which we hope will extend as people show an inclination to take up this branch of farming life. The fat cattle at the show although not numerous were of excellent quality, and Messrs S. Garforth and W. Pal rick, two old exhibitors iv i his class, were as usual ihe only ones who came forward with stock. The remark we have made with regard to the non-showing of sheep also applies regarding heavy horse stock, and we trust that next s ear wo pV.I! scg the stock of Messrs Holmes and Reid come into competition wi'-h the stock of some o our not^d breeders, such as Messrs Gawn, Charter?, Ferguson and other well-known exhibitors. The quality of the diauf.ht horse stock was certainly very good, and some excellent aninals were shown. In liebt horses the ea trips for thoroughbreds were more than equal to those of la&t year, while the entries of carriage horses, hackneys, &c. were rather under the average. Agricultural produce was well represented, and the butter and cheese gave "ample evidence of the progress of the dairying industry. We are of opinion {hat in these products the average standard of quality this year is superior to that of former exhibits. Tbe exhibit of a working dairy attracted a very large amount of atten tion, and we are sure that the practical display mads by this exhibit mntt be productive of good to many of the onlookers. We are glad to be informed that Messrs Mason and Struthers did a considerable amount of business with exhibitors in the way of placing orders for ;uany of their appliances; and we bave no doubt tbat the adoption of these improved methods by tho people of our pvovicce will result in the production of a superior article cf butter and cheese. Then anything that will tend to avoid waste of milk, f-uc'h as is caused by the improper manufacture of cheese or butter, is a national economy the importance of which should not be lost sight of. We unhesitatingly affirm that for many years there has been a great waste of milk all through the country, from the want of proper knowledge as to how butter and cheese should be made, and we hope tbat the days of this waste are now lapidly drawing to a clore. Referring generally to the show, we may remark that it is sotmv/hht unfortunate the rscfs should clash so rm;cb. with the show this ypar. Owing to the 30th bein# St. Andrew's *\iy and a public holiday* difficulty was experienced in prransing for .•> day to S'lib the show. The bsuks closed on tko 29'h and 30cb, so tbat as far n- their influence went they did their best fro Cftnmand a full attendance of visitors at the show on the second day ; but tbe shopkeepers found that closing their establishments en Thursday and Friday would be inconvenient not only to themselves btit to the public. This accounts for the half-holiday having been proclaimed on Wednesday, the first day of the sho??. It was, therefore, somewhat unfortunate that the people's day, which is always considered to be the second day of the show, was to a certain extent this year divided, and in endeavouring to m?ke the best of a difficult position the association tried to some extent to popularise the first as w,ell as the second d&y. This led, we imagine, to some disappointment on the first day, as that day is confined to the judging of sheep and cattle, sod there being no horses on the ground there is less to attract an ordinary visitor. Wo regret that rh? attempt which the committee made to '-hu-^ ilr,' -^oxiio b Q •;• '■■"5 "t'rsHive u y g<*ttiu£ up some races for the -afternoon of th?. first day , did not prove by any means a happy idea, and ■ we think that horse racing on the Tahuns • grounds is entirely out of place. On Wednes- ' day afternoon the danger of the experjmeni r was amply manifested, and a repetition of it wil l not, we imagine, take place. Indeed, we thiuk • the association may congratulate itself on th< is fact that there were no serious accidents, a 1 1 galloping in front 01 the cattle and hors< 1 stands should not have been on anj' ac I count attempted. We have ascertaine<

•OTwroimrarcmror tne snow oiTa thoroughly permanent basis. All the visitors went there apparently with the determination of seeing all that was to be aeon and of taking an interest in everythmg connected with the show, and we think we can safely say that the show has become an institution that will go on from year to year gaining in popularity, and before many years are over we confidently hope that tho Ofcago Agricultural Society's show day will be one of the great high days and holidays of the province, and that our show will command a number of visitors that will equal the attendance at tho Canterbury show.

- M^^., u „* u^ D nuuw u« a morougniy permanent basis. All the visitors went there apparsntly with the determination of seeing all that was to bo aeon and of taking an interest in everything connected with the show, and we think we can safely say that the show has bs3ome an institution that will go on from year to year gaining in popularity, and before many pears are over we confidently hope that tho Otago Agricultural Society's show day will be sue of the great high days and holidays of the province, and that our show will command a lumber of visitors that will equal the attendance it tho Canterbury show.