OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 10

OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY

THE WINTER SHOW.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of the Otag-o A. and P. Society, held on Thursday, was attended by Messrs James Gow (president, in the chair), J. Hazlett, J. Lethbridge, J. R. Scott, A. M'Farlane-, J. A. Roberts, A. S. Orbell, A. Johnson, J. Nimmo, J. Shiel, J. Elliot, W. Burnett, H. Buckland, and T. Ritchie. Apologies were received from Messrs P. Pattullo, W. Blackie, W. Souter, J. Ross, J. Angus, and 1 D. Andrew.

A large and varied amount of correspondence and business in connection with the coming winter show, which opens on Wednesday, June 14, was considered and dealt with.

It was resolved that the annual meeting of the Otago A. and P. Society be held on Wednesday evening, June 14-, at 8 p.m. — first day of the show. Mr James Eazlett was unanimously nominated as president of the society for the coming year, and Mr P. Pattullo for the position of vice-president. The following members of the committee retire by rotation, and were duly nominated for reelection : — Messrs James Gow, D. Andrew, J. W. Blair, E. F. Duthie, T. Muir. Goo. MacEwan, T. Ritchie, J R. Scott, W. H. Taggart, and John Tough. Messrs Johnr Loudon (National Mortgage and. Agency Company, Dunedin), P. Ireland (Goodwood), and H. Price (Messrs D. Reid and Co., Limited) were also nominated.

The Chairman urged all the members of committee to do their best towards obtaining entries for the coming winter carnival, which promises to be most successful in every way.

The judges in the field turnip competitions (Messrs W. "Wyllie and T. Muir) reported as follows: —

We have to report on inspection of green crops judged by us as follows: — In Class I we place Mx W. Blackie, .East Taieri. first; Mr J. Sutherland, Allanton, second; and Mrs Fenwick, Maheno, third. These exhibits are of exceedingly fine quality, and very full crops. Some of the other exhibits show a tendency to coarseness and are badly affected with finger-and-toe, and run too much +o neck.

In Class II we place Mr W. Moynihan, Middlemarch, first ; and Mr James Bell, Inch. Clutha, second; — both very good crops, and ground very clean. Mr Bell's crop would have shown to better advantage had it been earlier sown.

In Class 111 we place Mr George JShcol, Allanton, first; Mr W. JBlaekie, East Taieri, second; and Mr John Sutherland, Allaeton, third. In these crops we found in Mr Nicoi'3 exhibit a very full crop of turnips, mangold 3, carrots and cabbage — all exceedingly weii grown and clean. The second prize lot consisted of turnips, mangolds, and potatoes. The third prize lot consisted of turnips, mangolds, and carrots — all well grown and the ground clean.

Class IV. — In this class we place Mr C. W. Reid, Windsor, first; Mr W. Moynihan, Middlemafch, second. In the first prize lot we found an exceedingly full crop, and the ground very clean. In Mr Moynihan's exhibit the* crop is very good, the ground not quite so good as the former.

Class V. — Of three exhibits in this class they were all deserving of a prize but when it came to an actual test by weight ocr acre and cleanliness of ground we placed Mr George Nicol, Allanton. first; Mr John Dow, Newton; second; ana Mr "W. Blackie. East Taieri, third.

Class Vl. —ln this class we place Mr John Sutherland. Allanton, first; Webster and Callander, Allanton, second; and Mr James Williamson. Allanton. third. In this class we found the heaviest yield per acre; but there was-a-certain degree of coarseness, too plainly visible in some of the entries, owing probably to the heavy nature of the soil on which the crops were grown. We have also to report favourably o» the way we were received by exhibitors. We have found in our tour of inspection th*t an improvement might be made before next year by adding: another class or classifying the land — say » class for land valued up to £15 per acre, and one for land valued over £15. We would recommend a class for, say. 10 acres of green crop on the poorer land, as that course would give the smaller farmers a chance of competing. We think i* this recommendation were carried out it would add to the popularity of the field turnip competition. Thomas Motb. Wit. W. Wylib.

As evidence of the increase in the value of land in Southland during the past quarter of a century, it was stated by a witness before the Assessment Court on Tuesday that ,an area near Underwood Dairy Factory, six and a-half miles from Invercargill, had been purchased in 1877 for £4 10s, and its present value is £213. No improvements have been made on the land, which is now almost in its natural state.