Our Illustrations.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 2, 13 July 1910, Page 16

Our Illustrations.

WAIKATO WINTER SHOW. THE fourth Waikato Winter Show was held in the Horse Bazaar last week, and large crowds of town and country people flocked in to inspect the various exhibits. A great improvement was noticeable in tho arrangement of the etails. A large number of machinery exhibits were shown, sheep shearing machines, and no less than thirteen different milking machines, each with some improvement to recommend it, being on view. One of the latter showed an arrangement for Conveying the milk straight into the separator, doing away altogether with the lifting of heavy cans and buckets. An exhibit of interest to Waikato folk was that of coal from tho Waipa Colliery Company, the new mine near Ngaruawahia. A very large number of entries wore received in the roots section, numbering over 1,000, and so uniform were the exhibits in many eases that the judges’ task was most difficult. We notice that Messrs. Lawrie’s forty guinea cup for the twelve best turnips of the John Bull variety went to the Rotorua Meat Co., though more local growers ran them very close for the handsome prize. The Department of Agriculture had a most interesting exhibit, containing many excellent examples to farmers of what to grow, in the shape of fruit, corn and grasses, and what not to grow, in the shape of weeds, This would well repay a very exhaustive study in many directions; one felt sorry to be so rushed as not to have time for such a study. The farmers’ bays were not as well competed for as one would have liked, but certainly tlie one shown was full of interest. One could but look in astonishment at the multiplicity of articles one farm could produce, from huge pumpkins, pie-melons, cabbages and potatoes to a plump porker and several hares. There were also grains and seeds, many- eggs, butter, preserved fruit, jam and jelly, soap, candles, bacon, iard, herbs, and dozens of other things. We felt sure that the £2O prize was wellearned. Another rather unusual class was the model garden, the prize-winner being Mm. Douglas. The miniature hedges, the real turf lawns, the tiny fruit trees, budding, each with its own label, flower beds planted with tiny rooted plants, the tennis lawn with its inviting wee summer-house, and the real shell paths, made a garden that was indeed a model. To describe the Home Industries would fill sheets, so many and varied were the exhibits. The bottled fruit was simply perfection, while in jams, jellies, etc., the same standard was almost reached. The needlework classes were extremely well

filled, some of the work being really beautiful. In this part of the Shew the lack of space was keenly felt, so many lovely articles could only be partly -exposed to view, and in many eases lay piled one on the other. We were particularly interested in a beautiful fine lace veil, which was over 100 years old; also a tablecloth of fine damask, which was used in the Royal household in George ll.’s reign, only 184 years ago! One could not help thinking how interesting a curio class would be, giving so many points for antiquity, beauty, and so on; which reminds us how much we missed the Maori exhibits. Can no one be found with skill sufficient to persuade some of the old Mabris to exhibit a few of their treasures? And there must be many such treasures in and around the Waikato and King Country! We must not forget to notice the children’s section, for it was certainly worthy of praise. Hamilton West came first in the aggregate, the Secondary Department having some specially good exhibits of specimens of grasses and weeds; also of the various methods of dispersal of seeds. In the Horticultural Section, Mrs Biggs had a wonderful display of cut flowers, including anemones, roses, heaths, nemosia, stocks, camellias, heliotrope, bonvardias, violets, sweet peas, and a wonderful collection showing what the Waikato can do. On Wednesday the cadet competition was held, which resulted in the Hamilton East squad coming first, thus gaining possession of the silver cup for the year.