Royal Agricultural Show for 1886

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 4

Royal Agricultural Show for 1886

The Royal Agricultural Society of England have this year held their show at the ancient city of Norwich. The show opened the second week in July, and, accoiding to to the English agricultural journals, this great annual exhibition was fully up to the level of the Royal shows in previous years' "In no single respect," sajs the Live Stock Journal, " did the show of 188G manifest any falling off. The arrangements oi the yard, the classification of the entries, the interest shown by the visitors - all are betterthan they have ever yet been eeen to be. Certainly 'the limits of usefulness are not reached' — as the YYoice.stci shire managers a&serted— even for those men of expeuence who romember the Society's a isit to Norwich in 18-10, and have seen nine out of ten of its exhibitions since. What mast the attractions ot such a display not be for these who ne\ er saw a show before ; fo 1 ' the youngsters who are now beginning life, or to the veterans whom res aayuiUi (Joint, or difficulties of ti a veiling, have hitherto kept at home. It never need trouble anyone's mind connected with this Society that it is lingering on the stage after its da\s of -worth and charm aie over." Tin lepoit of the show occupies no less thantv.euty-tuo columns of thcabovequoted loninal, exclusive of the space occupied by tne La& ot judges and awards. R.uny a\ either unfortunately this, year, asitln.s d>uie for several years p*sl, lough t against the ii uncial success of the show, buf alter all did not do &o much hnim in that way as might have been expected. Wrilinic fiom London, under date July ifJtb. the Em-l^b. cone-pendent of the Qtano Witness "soy? concerning the show : Tl.e cait horses ,u e on the \\n ,le 5-caicely up to the high st.nndaid of excellence r< aclied at le^oni thowt. ol the "Royal," thougn theio are some f-aj.iu'l elatse- among them. For some ua~on not explained it i a taid that- this jt-ar > and la>t yeai's foaK have nut gtowu j its wcil ;t& iiMiul. CeLtauily thcic is not the giauci drtplay of younger horses that I j have .-een on tormer occa.~ion^. The Shire boi'se* especially iall below average ; while iho_ Cl3Ue.-il.ih>, as far as thofaie fiom their principal breeding grounds, are very creditaoly shown. Sutfolk hordes aio more nuuicious than usual, as the show is Ik Id clo-e to theii home, and theie is a bettor collection of them than has been got together foi many yens ; but the breed is a declining O ne, and the t\ po of Suftolk Punch to iiimous in the 'old times has, in my opinion, not been keep up to iN old excellence. The hoises are more leggy ant i i ePS compact than their preface >soi\s. It is claimed for them that tlicv ha\e better feet and W^.> than oi old, and if tin-? be true it is a gre it p. mt in their favour; bat they aio certainly not so as the old Suffolk chestnuts ueie, and they are not kept .--o true to coluui. They at e excellent ploiiuh hoi-cts, especud'y for heavy land, being staunch at Lhe collar, though iathei- blow, vluoh suits heavy plough woik. The impiovement of hoioes and the gicatclcinaud ioi them for town woi k Ira ve put the JSuftblks to a q eat ovtent out of the running Norfolk is. tamout. for its cobs and poin< s, and theie is a capital show of these with a fair one of laigei hackneys, but the hunter are a very pooi lot Several piLses wcie ofiercd tor thoioughbied stallions suitable forgetting luinfei^ and great 0 fib its have bceiT mado ge>eio.!ly {0 cncouiago the ])roduction of ■■ucij animals, buC theie is a \erv soiry lot heie.^ The cattle are lcmnikably -ood. All the crack Shoi thorns and Hcietoid&of 1 lie year are present, and Duvons and Si'^se.% cattle are moduiately well iepn>ented The {rreai. feature of the cutrle claius, ,how tMji, i 1i 1 - the laijre collection of the No'ioil, and Sullulk Red Tulls, thu largest and best eves got together. These red Jiornle&s beaf-t.s are lismg in reputation, as they arc well «-ui Led for roaming at large in Am'ei ic<i and ehcwhci c. Theyaieveiy docile, lair dairy animals, and good but chevb' beasts They do not roach a great weight at an eaily age, but they are not nearly "as lu-avy foeders as Shorthonm or JlereforcN. Their appeal ance at Norwich ptoves that their bieedeis have greatly improved them lately. Sheep, especially Shrop^hiie and Southdowns are in .strong force and fiupcib quality. The local bleed of Suffolk;,, however, is less extensively exhibited than might have been expected. There, arc a few noA'eltiesin the great i&how of'implements. _ The Prince and Pnnce&s oi Wale's have visited the' show twice. To day a draft sale of the Prince's felforthorps and Southdowns takes place at Sandringham. The Prince and the Queen are' both ex bibitors at the chow, and the P.iince takes a champion pri^e for the besjb Shire, mare or filly in the showyard. ■

Somebody has noticed that the letter "P " is the eymbol-of power and authority, for the 'world^ is ruled by Princeß, Parlmjj naent, Press, Pulpit, and Petticoats. Our Printer aaya, What a Pity ?