THE HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3129, 4 March 1909, Page 4

THE HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

Mntertori surprised itself—or rather the horticulturists of the district surprised Masterton—by the splendid exhibition held in the Town and Drill Halls yesterday and last evening, under the auspices of the Masterton Horticultural and Industrial Society. The Show in every respect was really bayond praise, and no one doubted tho sincerity of the judges when they termed the exhibition as being equal to the best of the North Island, while some of the exhibits were worthy of a place in the best shows perhaps of the world. It must be very gratifying to the young society to have such an auspicious opening exhibition, and those who have spent valuable time and industry in placing the Society on a working basis deserve the warm thanks of the whole community—not merely of the horticultural section—for their public-spirited efforts. The Society offered exceptionally liberal prize-money, while its schedule was a comprehensive one, and it was therefore to be expected that the ratal entries would reach a respectable figure, but the most sanguine member did not anticipate that the two commodious halls housing the exhibits would prove just capable of accommodating the entries without any room to spare. It is fairly safe to predict that with such a splendid realisation for the inaugural Show successive exhibitions are pretty certain to mantain at least a suffiebnt virility to justify the existence of the Society, and if this proves to be th 3 case doubtless the offkials will feel compensated for their eil'orts. But the probabilities are that more intense cultivation will spell progress for the Society, and that Hie Show of yesterday will be eclipsed by many to be held later. No doubt the Society will find that its Spring Showshould it decide upon holding onewill be characterised by heavier entries in many classes which are not so well patronised at autumn shows. As tor the quality of the prize products at yesterday's Show the judges were profuse in their eulogies of it, and the judge ot the fruit—an experianced nurseryman—bore out contentions \ve have previousl/ made,

that for certain staple fruits the Masterton district is admirably adapted, and fruit culture is not nearly so extensively carried on as the natum of the soil and climate and the proximity to a remunerative city market warrant. Regarding the aesthetic side of the exhibition, the array of lovely blooms was a feast lo the eye, and when gorgeous modern dahlias in hundreds vie for supremacy with magnificent asters and kindred floral wonders, as was the case yesterday, the Court of the Flowers is indeed one of Nature's most splendid ceremonials. The industrial classes were creditably filled, except in one or two instances, strangely enough important in their way. Thesa exceptions showed that some of the old-fashioned home ! art 3 such as knitting, crochet work, etc., are almost at vanishing point, but whether this is to be deplored or not is difficult to say in view of the advances of modern manufacturing machinery. Speaking of the exhibition as a whole it was a revelation of what the town and district can produce in the way of high-class flowers, fruit and vegatables, and Masterton has little to fear on the score of either beauty or utility in horticultural matters, while it can boast such a display. We congratulate the Society on its first Show, and trust that its future exhibitions i will be as relatively successful.