NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 230, 23 June 1920, Page 10

NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW

SEVERAL SECTIONS JODGED BAD WEATHEm OPENING DAY By Telegraph—Special Reporter, Palmerston nerth, June 22. Tho opening of tho eighteenth National Dairy Show was most inauspicious so far a$ the weather «aa concerned. Itnin fell heavily all last Light and through)out to-day. It is ve/y fortunate that the Mannwatu. A. pnd P, Association, under whose auspices Hie fixture is hold, possesses most commodious buildings, which enables all Iho exhibits to lie placed under cover. The now Breeders' Club buildings proved a great convenience, and several 'jiinortant meetings could be carried on there at the same time. To-day was devoted to the judging of fruit, honey, vegetables, farm roots, seeds, grain, farm produce, home industries, needlowork, deer heads, farmers' butter, soldiers' exhibits, and schbol displays, and proceedings were considerably delayed by the lite arrival of a number of entries.

Taken as a ivholo, and considering tho favourable season, tho bhow does, not compare too favourably with last year's fixture. With the vahiabk cups offered in the factory butter rod cheese sections it might reasonably have been expected that entries in these sections would have shown an increase, v>hereas a decreaso has to be. .noted. Tho butter was well got up, feut tliie judges were strongly of opinion that the cheese should be got up in a more presentable manner for market. The 'butter chiinipionshi]) was won by the Levin Dairy Factory, with Golden Bay and Tai Tapu tiily talf a paint behind, and several others close up, showing that competition was fairly keen. The cheese championship was won by the Carrington Factory, with' Hexdale and Niieaha only ' half n point behind; and the Carrington Company also secured the Rowan Hodgson Cup, which goes with tiiio championship. Entries in farmers' butler vtre more numerous than last year, nut still the section is a weak one, the colour of somo of _ tho exhibits being aiything but good. Miss A. Newdwick, Whakarongn, was equal first for her two entries, which were of nice texture and excellent flavour, and this being thn third successive win she takes tho Lister Separator Company's trophy. ■ An 1 nteresting Section. Undoubtedly t!«e Most interesting section of tlie show is ' that, for boys from farms in the (various school districts in the Manawatu. This is a class which was in existence at the shows some years ago, but which was allowed to drop out. It is much on tho lines cf the country bays which aro always such an attraction at tho Dunedin Winter Sliflw. Conjidering that tho first prizo is only <£8, it. is evident that it was rot'-the value of the prize which b r ought out such excellent exhibits, for it must have cost many times that sum to provide such a collection." Tho first prize 'bay of tho West End district is as exceedingly well and tastefully arranged, mid doubtless this told with the judge, but,as far. as variety of exhibits wag concerned it wna beaten by carao second. The tatter's collection included dressed carcasses of mutton, lamb, pork, ' and sucking pig, a very fine sirloin of beef, with sides and rolls of bacon and hams. In the way of ganie. there were wild ducks, hares, ana rabbits, and' fine collections of apples, pears, other fruits, and vegetables. There vere also some scores of bottled samples of oats, barley, peas, beans and various grass seeds, a fine collection of bottled fruits and jams. Home-made soap and candles were also included, while there were some very fair soecimens of tho culinary art, including mixed pastry, ekes, etc. The half-dozen entries in the school displays showed that tho garden plots in collection with these institutions are being used to good purpose, whtilst some of tho examples and (xperiments shows in connection with Vesting soils for the action ci certain manures on the soils, and the action of' water ou ' various classes of land, prove that education on the scientific' side of agriculture. is not being neglected. The exhibit of tWe Palmerston North gioup wasi a comprehensive ono, and well deserved the first prize which it secured, ChTistcliureh coming second and Colyton thiTd. Field Roots. The entry of field roots nas large, and on the whble the quality was better than last year, as might have been expected with so favourable a season. Thousandheaded kale, that useful winter feed for sheep, though not a largo entry, is an exceedingly good one so far as qiiality is concerned, and air. T. Mitchell, of Fordell, and Mr. T. Webb, the known Pnlroerston North grower, had a good contest, in which . tho former was victorious. The field cabbage® were a very good class, in which. Mr. A. Pnsaey, of Pohangina, scored first with an extremely fin© head. Messrs. Mitchell and Webb filled tho other places. The currots were a very strong section, both in reds nnd whites, and would be hard to 1 beat anywhere, being shapely, c.ean, and well grown. Mr. Passey scored the bulk of the wins iii the five varieties, lho long red mangels wore ft fair lot as to size but many of them did not stand the cutting test, which showed them to be unsound. Wyllie Brothers (Fordell) first prize-takers were an exception, and were solid all through,' wh.v.e T. Mitchell (Fordell) wns a good sccond. leilow globo mangels were a much, bettei elnss, but somo of them wore mis-shapen, while others wfre hollow in the centre, showing signs' of decay. T. Mitchell had an easy win with well-shaped solid roots, taking first and second honours,. Golden tankard mangels were a very good class, heinir sliapelv. and well grown n.nd solid. A. Passey took first and sccond honours. The sugar manges were more than fair, and.Mr. Passey again scored with good serviceable rook The four varieties of swedes were all good, , and A. Hayes (Norsewood) won in purple tops and plain, and P, G. Mildon (Kijirnnca) in varieties. White ilesh ' turnips were a choice bnt small class, there being very keen competition for first and sccond places between .7. Buglnss (Lintou) and T. Milche.ll (FordeV). The other varieties of turnips evoked but littlo competition except in the classes, for the largest sorts, wliioli brought ft number of mammoths that were none too shapci Iv, while many of them wore unsound. Sutton n.nd Sons' silver shield for most points in field roots was. secured by A. Pnssey 'Pohangina), with T. Mitehell (Forde 1 '.!) second, nnd T. Webb (Inst year' 6 winnor) outplaced. Farm Products. Farm products were Binaller section than their importance warranted, and in a district which is so prolific this is somewhat surprising. There was only one. entry in tho class for oaten shenf clialf, and this was decidedly light. The clover hay was of fair quality, butshould have been better with tho prolific crops this year. Meadow hay was 'slightly bettor, but could undoubtedly be

improved upon. There was only one truas of lucerne hay ami it was decidedly stalky, having- been cut 100 late to get the best feeding results out of it, as its principal feeding value is in the flat. C. Bidwill, of Featherston, had ,\ couple of really 1 good exhibits of lucerne chaff from a crop which had evidently been cut at the right time. Wyllie Bros. (Fordell) had some very good exhibits of ensilage, but with the general abundance of feed in th» liaiuwntu not much attention is paid to the production of this class of feed. There was little or no competition in the farmers' class for seed and grain. Bruce Bros. (Awuhuri) had a fair .sample of Tuscan wheat, but the only other exhibitor was T. Webb (Palmerston North), whose ryecorn and Stratagem and Yorkshire peas show that good .crops can be grown hero with- advantage. Potatoes were a very strong section, the bulk of tho prizes falling to N. Hughe* (Wanganu. 1 ), who had quite'a number of varieties, with T. Webb (Talmorstou North) following closely. Tho vegetables were a strong and creditaolo section all round, the outstanding feature being T. Webb's leeks, and ho succeeded in gaining most' prizes. The display of deer heads was not a large one. In reds C. ]£. Whitehead (Palmerston North) won with a beautiful even Toyal which would bo hard to beat. J. G. _ Mayo's (Palmerston North) second prize-taker was a 13pointer, heavier in the timber than the winner, but nothing like so eTen. In Samburs' W. C. Hughes (Palmerston North) won with a symmetrical head true to type. J. D. Mackio's (Foxt.on) head, placed second, was badly mounted so faT as pose was> concerned and was lighter in the timber. Tho judging of fruit was not completed to-night, and several > other sections will be finished to-morrow. The weather cleaved up this evening and gives promise of a fine day • for People's Day to-morrow.