FOAL, GRAIN, AND ROOT SHOW.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 570, 17 April 1876, Page 4

FOAL, GRAIN, AND ROOT SHOW.

The inaugural exhibition of foals, grain, and field-grown roots, held at the Kaikaioui Hotel premises, Kaiapoi, on Thursday, under the auspices of the local farmers’ club, and open to the province, exceeded the sanguine expectation of its promoters. When Mr Edwards, a member of the Club, mooted the public exhibition of this jlass of stock, and Mr B. nie, another member of th it society, proposed that a show be he'd of grain and roots it was modestly considered that if (here should be fi ty entries, the object would have been gained f f, r winch too exhibition was intended, and a satisfactory beginning made. However, as the day drev nearer, the entries pushed thrice that muubei, viz. to 158 those for stuck numhciing hi grain. .H 8 ; roots, fil ; and the bal mc j mu li up of extra i xh ; bits, This result is mosl satisfactory and there is now not _ the slightest tear in the minds of the committee with reference to the future. Those on whom the duties of committeemen fell in this instance, were Messrs J Biharrell, J Stevenson, W. A. j! Clark. R. Coup, and G. Edwards The arrangements made were very good, The stock was shown in a paddock close to the hotel, and the other exhibits in the concert hall, Admission was obtained to both for the nominal charge of sixpence, and a neat catalogue had been provided, that gave visitors no difficulty in finding the priz • takers. As the weather was fine, there w.is a large attendance of spectators, consisting of exhibitors and their friends, who being directly interested in the verdicts of the judges, paid the closest attention to the business of the day In no instance was beard a demur to the judgments arrived at, except in the stock department, which is a most difficult one to give a correct judgment in. Entering the paddock, the first class was the foals from heavy draught mans. Here no one could cavil with the right of Mr Pashby to the pwze for his colt, dam only three years. The dam was from a grey man belonging to Mr Wm Norman when he was resident on the Kaiapoi Island, its sire, her Colin Campbell, one of our oldest sires. The colt was deserving of the priz", and no more need be said. Mr Edwards exhibited a cob and filly, the former oi which gained second honors, although to the minds of some of the on-lookers be was considered inferior to Messrs Smith’s exhibit highly commended The latter, it must be said, however, though a promising animal, possessed a heavy cranium, and was plain rumped. Mr Wright’s filly was rightly commended. Of the others, Mr Young’s filly might have been noticed. Mr Parnhara’s mare was better looking than the foal. Mr Tibbott’s colt, by Sir Walter Scott, was about the best in the class, but disqualified, on the ground of lameness. Class 2, for foal from light draught mare, suitable for farming requirements, altl ough ♦ here were a large number of entries, was somewhat deficient, for the most part in neat well set animals, and the Clydesdale stamp seemed to be going out somewhat, Mr Bowie’s colt won the b'ne ribbon pretty easily ; he has good legs, and altogether a strong foal. Mr Perrin’s fi'dy. the second prize animrl, was a trifle flat-sided, and would certainly not make a horse such as Mr Ridley’s tidy, the latter deserving of mo-e notice. Mr Morris's filly was highlycommended, Mr E. Wilson’s filly being properly commended. The other exhibitors were Messrs Norric. Lord, Merrin, Ed wards. Parnham, Giles, McDonald, Dodd, Harper, and Belcher. In the class for foals, from marcs adapted for saddle or light harness purposes, there was seen to have been run on horses which, though showy, can hardly be said to produce what this class was meant to bring out. viz, good roadsters. In a future show it would be better to divide the hamers horses and saddle hacks into tv. o distinct classes. Mr Yeung’s cult was a neatly made animal, but generally it we thought Mr prrnham’s filly, only highly commended, should have been put firs', having in it more substance and bone. Mr Jeff’s filly wai from a capital dam, but though it received second honors it was a trifle light— possibly the judges went by small and pretty heads, for the style to which first and second honors went, whiie suitable for harness, would be too light for saddle and a long journey. After all, p rhaps tin committee ought to have left out harnes horses, and then the judges could have carried out the intention for which this clasu was made. The other exhibitors were Messrs O’Neil, Bailey, Morris, Read, Burton. Harper, Baker, Smith, Armstrong, Wright and Ellis, tbo latter receiving the commended ticket

Coming to the grain and root division of the exhibition, in the concert hall, tin grain was arranged along the sides of the building in three bushel sacks, the roots or the table running up the centre of the rootr with a cross table at the end, or placed neir it on the floor, while on the stage was arranged a few specimen flowering pot plants, and a collection of fruit. In some parts of the grain apartment entries did not arrive in time, and therefore were disqualified. The samples shown were pronounced by the judges to be in prime condition, and generally free from rubbish. As this wasintende ' to give farmers an opportunity of choosing seed, the committee bad decided that each person exhibiting must be able to produce at least twenty bushels of the same kind as that shown. In the Hunter’s white class, the competition was pretty close, only it was to be regretted that four of the entries were late. This is generally a popular variety, being a good milling wheat usually hardy, braving out the wet and nor’western, Mr Baylis’s sample was heavy, fully fed, and well dressed. Mr Bailey’s, placed second, was only inferior in regard to the dressing, several berries being broken. Mr f 'lark’s and Mr Chapman’s were nearly on a par to look at, but the former was a trifle weightier. The velvet chaff class brought out three almost equal samples, Mr Butler’s taking honors with a we l ! fed grain and heavy bushel, Mr Bayliss second, his sample in ferior alone in dressing, and Mr Winter was deservedly commended. In purple straw the entries were not received. In white Tuscan Mr Merrin had it all his own way very heavy sample. In white pearl there was a failure, this being a somewhat tench r variety; toMr Clark’ssack was awarded seco? d prise, Mr Fairweather’s being commended, but neither had well fed specimens. For white Hori which is probably a new name for an old kind, Mr Davis was first with a magnificent sample, white, even, clean, and free from rubbish, Mr Chilton coming see nd with a sample only darker in color, an effect caused by either weather or soil. In mixed wheat the judges passed Mr Clark’s exhibit. It may here be stated that the wheats all weighed well, the highest reaching fifilbs to the bushel. The oats were

fairly represented. In Polands, Mr Chapman (entered by Mr Boharrell) gained a deserved first ; Mr Wilson, second ; Mr Ellis, commended. Mr Bayliss’entry would have obtained a prize only it contained wheat ears. Strange to say no potato oats were shown. In Hoptons, Mr Parnham had it his own way with a well fed fine shelled specimen. VI Giles’ Tartarians, entered by Mr Boharrell gained first prize, the sample being superior tc any seen this season, Mr Clark coming in second with a good sample, bub contained a C .v ill-fed ears. This has no doubt not been a i-crd year for barley, and the only entry of Cl evalier was not up to first-rate sample, therefore it was placed second. The field pc's, Mr Chilton’s white, ai d Mr Clothier’s dc in were superior samples, both meriting fir-1 prizes. In horse beans, Mr Reed’s and Mr ParnhamV were exceptionally good There was on'y one sack of rye-grass, and i would have been better kept at home. In Roots the exhibition was a perfect success, the mangolds especially fine, the orange globes being splendid specimens, but. the green tops had all been grown too quick The Derwent potatoes were fine, but exhibitors had in instances made the mistake of bringing the largest tubers instead of medium size. The carrots were perfect and well grown. Out of the number of entries in Derwent potatoes, it was an honor to Mr Bailey to pull off the prize, Mr Merrin second, with a smaller kind, Messrs Brown and Tibbott commended. In kidneys, Mr H, Smith’s were splendid specimens of the Bath kind, Mr Fail weather second, with a similar variety. With regard to turnips, in purple tops Mr Wright’s first prize lot were the most even sample, Mr Clark being second ; in green tops, there wore one or two soft specimens, those of Messrs Belcher and Clark were, however, firm and sound. The long red mangold wnrlzel class received a great amount of attention, some of the roots measuring 2ft din in length. Mr WiightV firs prize lot were heavy and sound, Mr Parnham’s were a trifl i smaller. The orange globes shown by Mr Pashby were pi rfcct of their kind, Mr Parnham coming in second with almost as good a lot. The other exhibits were equally praiseworthy. Mr Clothier scored a win in red carrots, Mr Parnham second, Messrs Parnham and Brown commended Mr Belcher was the only exhibitor of white carrots. In extra exhibits Mr Pashby’s potatoes were a capital sort of the rough white sort. Mr Giles’ nursery wheat was pronounced by the judges as an admirable kind for mixing in milling on account of its berry being mellow, and the flour of an excellent colour and strength. The red straw latnmas the judges consid-red was 100 weak for mixing. The show of forty dahlia blooms, seedling gladioli, and apples shown by Mr Nettleton were very nice, the specimen plants of begonia and others sent by Mr R, W. Smith for exhibition, were greatly admired, as well as the apples forwarded by Dr Dudley, Mr Wood, and Mr G. Weston, as well as Mr Gibbs’ geraniums.