NORTHERN A. AND P. SHOWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 10

NORTHERN A. AND P. SHOWS.

(Feom Our Noeth Island Cohbespondent) During the past week a number of horticultural and agricultural associations haye been holding- their annual autumn shows, and on all sides there was very substantial evidence of the steady development of thos,e industries, which at the present time are so essential for food production. HASTINGS. The main • feature of the Hawke's Bay was, as usual, the fruit section, and this more'particularly so with regard to apples. The entries in the apple classes were exceedingly large, and the qujftlity wonderfully good. It would perhaps hss too much to say that the individual quality was higher than ,it has been in the past, for such a very high standard of quality had previously been reached as would be very difficult indeed to surpass. However, in the opinion of the judge, Mr D. A. Hay, of Auckland; the average quality certainly .was better. There was almost a total' absence of indifferent specimens, and the fruit, as a whole, was much better graded than he had seen it before, and he did not know any *show where the selection as a whole could compare with that of Hawke's Bay. The collections, both of dessert and cooking varieties, were magnificent, and in _ these classes the exhibits slTowed a greater uniformity than at any previous show. ■ Practically every one of the individual classes for apples attracted big entries, and it is always a source of gratification to see new names coming into the prize-list each year. The names of some of tho oldest supporters of the Show were missing from tho list; but the wonder is, at a time like the present, that the Show has been so little affected. The class for Sturmer Pippin apples was the largest in tho show, having drawn 39, entries, and the quality was very good and even. Cox's Orange Pippin was another large class, though the quality has been better, and the same may be said of Ribston Pippin; but Gravensteins and Delicious were both better than usual, and Jonathans very good indeed. A highly-coloured apple called American Mother headed the list in the class for any other variety of dessert apple, and the mammoth Peaegood's Nonesuch scored an easy win in the class for any other variety of cooking apple. Pears were good, though perhaps not quite up to the best of former years. The season has been a very unfavourable one for stone fruit, and peaches and plums were not so well represented as usual. There were some nice grapes shown. The display of cased fruit was good. The vegetable section was much better than usual, both as to numbers and quality. The Old People's Home, Park Island.- was amongst the successful exhibitors, and the present master of the Home, in interesting the inmates in growing- and preparing exhibits for the Show, has undoubtedly taken a step in the right direction'.•The champion collection of dessert apples was that exhibited by Mr J. dishing, whilst Mr C. Saywell won the cooking apple championship, and also tho championship for collection of export apples. MARTON A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. Marton Agricultural and Pastoral Association held its seventh annual Show at Marton Racecourse on Wednesday, and, despite labour difficulties, so acutely felt by farmers, the exhibition proved a record one in every respect. Horses showed a slight decrease in entries; but cattle and sheep classes filled up so well that, when the pens were completed, it was easily seen that not only were the entries 50 per cent, bettor, but the quality of the exhibits was an improvement on other years. The entrios totalled 820, as compared w.'jh 531 in 1916 and 675 in 1916, the details being: Horses 267, cattle 121, sheep 403, and dogs 29. In Jersey bulls, Dr Watson's (Bulls} Owls Victor was again awarded championship honours, and Mr H. J. Lancaster's (Palmerston North) Miss Fox HI the cow championship. Messrs J. M'Farland and Sons, of Aorangi, Feikling, scooped the pool in Avrshires, secured the championship for cow in tho grade Dairy section. Dalziell Bros., of Hunterville. appropriated championship honours in tho Shorthorn

division, and David Gibson the cow and bull championships in Friesians. Sheep formed a very strong section indeed, and some of the- finest flocks along the cost were represented. In the purebred classes H. R. Gaisford was most successful in Lincolns, W. It. and V. Wegfery and W. Reid and Sons in Romneys, [. F. Arkwright in Border Leicesters, Sir James Wilson and G. L. Marshall in Shropshires, C. E. Vile and W. Reid_ and Sons in Southdowns, and W. J. Birch in Devons. The fat sheep and fat lambs were really excellent, and each section drew large entries. J. F. M'Kelvie, J. Cameron, and W. Reid and Sons were the main prize-win-ners, the latter exhibitors gaining half the first in the fat sheep division. In fat lambs J. M'Donell was_ well to the fore. The competition in this class was very, keen, an average entry of 10 being catar \ logued. in each class. Horses were not so strongly represented this year. Mrs T. V. Momn's Gentleman Joo was declared champion in the hack division, and Miss G. Maher's (HastingsJ Bachelor in the harness horse section. The competitions excited great interest. J. J. Bryce's Twilight winning the open hunters' event.