Manchester Horticultural Show

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 75, 4 December 1884, Page 2

Manchester Horticultural Show

Tbe annual spring show of this Societytook place in the Town Hall yesterday under as favorable circumstances as the weather would permit. The beavy showers which prevailed on Tuesday and which continued during the night and yesterday morning caused considerable damage to all ; r out-door flowers, but notwithstanding, there was a very fair show of the flora of the district, though, ol course the exhibits were not so bright looking as they would otherwise haye been. The pot plants, most of which had been grown in-doors looked better, and although there was not so large a collection as at most of tbe society's previous shows, the exhibits themselves were fairly up to the average. Indeed, making allowance for the circumstances above named, the same may be said of the cv flowers also, the show of these being on the whole a very pretty one, the bouquets especially showing very little if anything to be desired. Of roses there was a very fair set out, and it was almost surprising that they looked as well as they did. Of fruit there was a comparatirely small collection, in which strawberries and gooseberries certainly took the lead. The show of vegetables was scarcelyuip io the average as to quantity, this time rt.rictly conferred to residents on the Manchester Block, but their quality was at least quite as good as I might haTe been expected. Of pifiduce \ there were a good number of exhibits, and the samples on tbe whole very creditable. Not the least attraciicf: of the day was the poultry show, which was comprised about 22 coops, of birds, most of purebreds leading varieties. Many of the birds were certainly very fine, such as we should judge it would be difficult to beat anywhere. We must not omit to mention that there were some very tastefully executed floral devices, which came in for their due share ©f admiration. The judges of the various departments were as follows, Mr Lethbridge being ! the referee in each oase ;— Flowere and fruit, Mrs Stewart and Mr Richards ; vegetables. Mesdames Saxon, and Ross ; produce, Mesdames J. Bartholomew and McKenzie -.{poultry, Messrs Nicholas and Evans; roses, Mesdames Stewart and Ross. The weather cleared up towards midday, which had the effect of bringing out a good number of visitors in the afternoon, ln the evening there was as usual a large attendance, not only of town residents, but of representatives of all the surrounding townships and settlements, the proceedings being enlivened by the strains of the Feilding Brass Band, the members of which deserve to be thanked for their woll appreciated services. Although tho show was not quite so large as oa most former occasions, owing partly to the backward season, and the marked absence of exhibits from some of the older patrons of the Society, it cannot be said that tho exhibition was not on the whole a success. Of poultry exhibited not for competition, mention should be mado of two coops of fine turkeys sent by Mr J. Wilson, of Makino. The local industries calling for special remark were a foot of a bedstead manufactured by Mr Eade from various nalive woods, a small but excellent collection of saddlery by Mr Henry, a model chest of drawers by Mr A. Eade, which we referred to in a fermer issue, an embroidered fancy piano cover the work of Miss Rees, and a christening cake sent as a special prize by Mr Pollock. The following is the list of the prizes awarded : —