AGRICULTURAL SHOWS AND THEIR INFLUENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS AND THEIR INFLUENCES.

It is, as we all know, a poor heart that never rejoices, and it is 'as well that 'tfoero should be something cheerful about farming. Farming is often uneventful and monotonous enough as it is, but were the tedium of the ordinary routine upon the farm not broken by variations such as are provided by the local and central shows, tbe condition of things woald b» dreary enough in this age of bustle and aetivi^r. But live stock shows are not to be regarded, except in a very minor light, •n erely as pleasant social functions. Their prime object is of a distinctly, utilitarian character, and, as thosa peculiarly well qualified to form an opinion have fittingly remarked relative to British shows, — • "They have played a very vital part in raising the live stock of t]pe United' Kingdom to tine pre-eminent, position which they occupy in the world at large, but tb.3y have at tho same time been the means of attracting to the pockets of owners vast sums of money from foreign and colonial sources that otherwise would never have oome to this country."

If, of coura'i, to a lesser extent and degree, the- experiences of breeders of superor, highly-bred! live stock in this colony have been somewhat similar. Tho fcrm of competition provided in the principal showyards has acted as a strong 'and effectual incentive to the attainment of the highest excellence in tbe breeding and management of pedigree stock, the 'stimulating influences; extending far beyond fho rriiks of particular exhibitors, inasmuch as the high standard of merit represented furnishes examples for the Irss prominent breeders to strive to emulate. Tims the showyard has been the means of bringing tlvs bssb bards, flocks, and studs to the* fiont, and at the same time of stimulating owners o-f stock of less repute to higher effort®. It is, therefore, obviously a matter of the highest importance that the* showing system should be at least maintained upon its present standard' of efficiency.

In a paper read recently before flio English Farmers' Club, tbe writer, Mr Plow.naan, secretaay of one of the leading showpromoting societies, rightly claimed! that tha showyard has operated for good in other directions, as well as Jn an educational sense. To quota in effect his own words, it has had a direct value in providing opportunities for converting the skill and the patience of the breeder into hard cash. As far as the chief owners and! exhibitors are concerned:, this has in reality been the chief merit of the showyard^ It is generally recognised thatshowing is seldom a profitable proceeding in a dbeot sense, as the prize money obtained rarely suffices to cover the heavy expenditure incurred not merely in preparing the animals for exhibition, but also the outlay incidental to their movement to and from the shows. Therefore, if there were no indirect advantages, showing would have^ lost its fascination for the majority of stock owners long ago. Kb doubt it is desirable from the point of view of the successful exhibitor that substantial prizes should be offered, but as

few cxhißltors hope to recoup themselves in the 'form of prize money, wfiile many share to- quite an insignificant extent or boX at "all in the money- offered, it seenis reasonable that agricultural societies should not risk-, their, financial stability by offering imore liberal prices than- they can well afford. In-saying Jhis we do not-despise ihe' value- of gprize Jnoney, but , we contend th-at'the money- is of less importance in furthering the- live "stock interests of the j country than the competition and- promi- i nenee which the showyard provides. The stimulating effect of the showyard, apart altogether from the prize money offered, is perhaps best illustrated by the progress towards improvement; and higher efficiency that is to bs witnessed in the exhibitions ■ of implements andf machinery;. 'Mr Plow ■,; anan, in hispaper, attributes' this advance-'mentr-=3O far as the United Kingdom is concerned— in mechanical inventions to the stimulating influences of agricultural shows. It. certainly cannot be said that this result is the outcome .of liberality in the distribution of .prizs money, .although at the , English Royal considerablesums have been offered, from time to time for new machinery or implements, t<f but in the main, jwhatever part the showyard has played in , jvrom'oting the changes referred; to in the production of labour-saving. appliances must h& attributed to the wholesale influences of public > comparison rather than to actual competition for prize money." Experienced authorities I ' do not regard this as a misfortune; indeed, they are inclined to think that the-offering -of prizes for,implements and machinery" is oalculatd to have [ a restricting -effect upon - enterprise and _ ingenuity, inasmuch as it attaches an vmdue importance anil benefit to tha -successful , The matter is - referred to as -showing that, in conducing to the realising .of tbe highest results '6i the show-r yard, "prizs, money,' whstn/^'for live 1 stoci? or 'implements/i s, a matter of secondary consideration. As -indicating ' the- hold ■prhicb. .the showing system has, obtained in the United "Kingdom, •'Mir, Plowman men-tioned'that-there'are upwards of i .-700-agri-cultural ..shows, largo and small, held annually' in the British Isles, and that the amount, of -prize money distributed at 270 j of the leading fixtures anjounted to no less a- sum^thajß £135,000 per annum. The fact should not be overlooked thatthe agricultural show has a 'special value as a 'social' function, or as a means of causing money to be circulated. Accommodation is .at a premium-, and a whole ' host of visitors have to be fed, while liberal sums are expended by them in. purchases of requirements in great variety. The city business man has therefore good reason to exclaim: Long may it be-, .then, before the -agricultural show bagins io go down hill, whether -the times b^ good or .ibad. i