HORTICULTURAL AND POULTRY SHOW.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1417, 14 February 1873, Page 2

HORTICULTURAL AND POULTRY SHOW.

An exhibition of a kind which are no novelties in other parts of the world, but which have not yet become established institutions on the West Coast of the Middle Island of New Zealand, was held yesterday in the Volunteer Hall, Greymouth. It was simply, or principally, a floricultural and horticultural exhibition, held under the auspices of a local society recently organised for the encouragement of the higher branches of the arts of gardening and farming. It was not solely an exhibition of the flowers and fruits of the earth, by reason of an arrangement which was made to hold, on the same day and in the same place, .under the auspices of another newly-formed society, a competitive exhibition of feathered fowls of the earth and air. The body of the hall | was occupied by the exhibits of flowers and 1 fruits, and, with all the feminine beauty to be seen at seasons on the same floor or on the front seats at public entertainments, the severe bachelor section of the community would probably agree that there was more concentrated beauty at yesterday's exhibition than has been seen on any occasion in the same place. We refer, of course, to the flowers, and may surely do so without making invidious comparison, the lilies of the field, as we are taught on tolerable authority, excelling in adornment even Solomon in all his glory. The presence of grace or beauty were, however, not solely confined to inanimate objects, there being a, good sprinkling of the fair sex in attendance both in the afternoon and evening, and probably, as ' properly, their numbers Will be increased to-day. §uch of the feathered denizens of barn-yard or cage as were exhibited — and they were both numerous and various — were accommodated on the stage, and by the members of no company which ever appeared in buckskin pn the same boards was there greater success achieved in the production of discordant sounds than was done by these things in feathers. The canaries were notespeciallydemonstra r tive, or capable of creating much dinamid the sounds emanating from a harmonium played by Mr Pownall, but there were Bramahs which were probably more cursed than blessed by that accomplished player, mjuoh aa they may be blessed with voices

suited to awake the echoes, or even the dead. Besides the exhibition of poultry, there was the nucleus of another description of exhibition— namely, a dog-show — this nucleus consisting of one most minute poodle, which seemed to be much more an object of interest to the spectators than the spectators were objects of interest to him, taking his rest, as he usually did, with all the sublime indifference of poodle-dom. Altogether, and equally in the two departments, the exhibition was a success as an initiatory step towards the formation of two useful societies, and towards a regular succession of similar shows. As compared with that held at Hokitika two years ago, the show of flowers and fruit was probably inferior, but there was a greater abundance of exhibits by nonprofessional cultivators, the professional gardeners of the Arahura Valley having then been the possessors of the bulk of the exhibits. The fruit season happens to be also further past, the Hokitika exhibition having been held at the New Year. The season was similarly unfavorable for the appearance of the poultry, but the exhibition was only meant to be a preliminary one to a gathering together at another time of as many living things as crow, cackle, whistle, or chirp. The success of the show, under all these disadvantages, is due greatly to the committees of the two societies— several gentlemen having worked hard and late— hardest and latest, Mr Hardy — in ornamenting the hall and assorting the exhibits, and Mr Prince, as Honorary Treasurer to the Poultry Society, having been, in keeping with the character of the show, up at cock-crow, fitting <c pens " and arranging all preliminaries. There were necessarily difficulties, in an experimental exhibition, in arranging all details in due time for the opening of the complete show at the hour announced, but by exertions these were overcome. There was thus at first an absence of the usual facilities afforded to the Press, whose representatives attending flower shows are better to have a quiet preliminary look to enable them to realise the names of often-times sensitive exhibitors and the spelling of jaw-breaking botanical nomenclature. Altogether, however, the arrangements were as satisfactory as their speed permitted, and to-day, no doubt, there will be more persons present to realise the results than there even were yesterday. First preliminary to the placing of the exhibits was the decoration of the hall, and this was done with simplicity and neatness by some flags being suspended from the roof, and by a few floral decorations on the walls — broad-leaf and dahlias being the material used with effect in forming such letters as G.H.S., which, being translated, means Greymouth Horticultural Society, or suph other letters as V.R , which should not require translation when they are seen in juxtaposition to the semblance of a Crown. Decidedly the biggest and most striking ornament, both by its size and by its beauty, was a Native nilcau, brought out of the neighboring bush by JVfr Hebbard. Its appearance s.ugges.ted how desirable it would be to encourage the growth of s,uch grand ornaments to the garden or conservatory, if it would at all agj?ee with their health to transplant them to the open from the shady place 3in which they delight to grow, to be rarely seen, and a little more rarely eaten, by the indifferently tuckered digger. Their beauty is, in fact, only an item of their merits, they having sustained a good many prospectors in the early days of the Coast— so much so, that it was once placed on record, for the information of the Commissioner on the Nelson Gold Fields, that the people of Brighton were literally " living on timber, like cannibals !" Between the door and this nikau, which forms the centre object in the room, is situated the table upon which plants, flowers, and fruits are displayed "for exhibition only." At this table, as at all the others, a brief examination of the exhibits discover the fact that the principal exhibitors, as to numbers and excellence of exhibits, are members of the ancient and distinguished family of Smith. In honorable rivalry, Mr W. S. Smith and Mr G. S. Smith provide some scores of geraniums, verbena*, ct hoc; Mr Hamilton takes prominence with what are, next to bees, favorite objects of his study— fuschias ; Mr Revell is big in verbenas, fuschias, and others ; and there are other exhibitors, including his next-door neighbor, who follow suit $ Mrs Berkley exhibiting " Mrs Rae," a geranium. Special prizes are in some instances given for these unclassified exhibits — one to Mr Revell, for a " vellotti purpurea," one to Mr Flanagan for a lily named after Washington, and described as the most glorious of American lilies ; one to Mr McGregor, for apples ; one to Mr Barker, of Arahura, for a new variety of potato which it will take some early rising to excel, on which account, we presume, it is called the Early Rose. Among other exhibits may be mentioned some beautiful millet by Mr Prince, some hop plants by HKf r Splajne. German kail by Mr Andrews, barfey an 4 maize by Mr Hebbard, maize by Mr Taylor, and a most affecting object for any man with a large family, or cow with a large- appetite to look at — namely a 251 b drumhead cabbage, grown by Mr Waters, as gardener for Mr Joseph Kilgour. Of course it was impossible for the judges, respecting either themselves or cabbage, to refuse giving such a mammoth a special prize. The one other table situated towards the centre of the floor is exclusively occupied by Mr Barker, of Arahura, who forwarded by the Kennedy from Hokitika a large and varied assortment of flowering plants, bulbs, and seed, which form a considerable addition to the attractions of the show. The table representing Class A, pot plants, is chiefly contributed to by Mr W. S. Smith, Mr G. S. Smith, and Mr Q. W. Nichol, and many of the exhibits illustrate their taste and cave as. cultiva r tors. Class B, cut flowers, is not so largely represented as is usually the case at exhitions of the kind, and there is an absence of handsome hand bouquets. There is, however, one very neatly arranged table bouquet by Mrs W. S. Smith, two by Mra Irvine, and several choice, selections of single flowers by growers well known to' local fame. If the samples of fruit are necessarily few they are fair to look upon— so fair as to induce anyone who has not in his youth been well-drilled in prayers to be led into the temptation of tasting. Some wonderful peaches for a climate like that of Greymouth are shown by Mrs Irvine and Mr Beckman ; ditto apples by Mr Barker and Mx Amos ; and there are other iteas too

numerous to mention. The best part of C the whole exhibition, however, as showing I the suitableness of the soil for root crops, and the comparatively advanced stage in cultivation which has been reached, is the t show of such vulgar things as potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, &c. And, of vegetables which do not bury their beauty i or their figures under the earth, there are wonderful things in peas, beanß, &c, and fearful things in cucumbers, marrows, and i pumpkins. It is in these departments that the exhibitors showed real enthusiasm, the bucolic cultivators occasionally becoming rapturous over their carrots, and rising to real poetry on the peculiarities of parsnips. Mr Barker, assisted by Mr W. Cooper, and with Mr Hardy as umpire, acted as judges, and to Mr Barker particularly the Society are indebted for his having come a considerable distance to discharge a gratuitous duty. The following is the result of their judgment, and it will, no doubt, sufficiently represent the best exhibits without further enlargement upon them: — Class A.— Pot Plants. Greenhouse plant, in flower : First prize, W S Smith. Greenhouse plants, out of flower (2) : First prize, G W Nichol ; second do, W S Smith. Geranium : First prize, G S Smith; second do, W S Smith. Geraniums (2) : First prize, G S Smith ; second do, W S Smith. ( Geraninum, tricolor : First prize, W S . Smith. v Pelargoniums : First prize, W S Smith ; second do, W S Smith. Pelargoniums (2) : First prize, W S Smith; second do, W S Smith. Fnschia : First prize, W-S Smith ; second do, G 8 Smith. Fuschias (2) : First prize, G S Smith ; second do, W S Smith. Fuschia, window-grown (special) : First prize, G W Nichol. Petunia, double : First prize. G S Smith. Calceolarias : First prize, W S Smith. Coleas : Highly commended, MrsM'lntosh. Class B.— Cut Blooms. Verbenas : First prize, W S Smith ; second do, W H Revell. Asters : First prize, G S Smith. Gladiola : First, prize, R H Rugg. Dahlias ; First prize, F Hamilton ; second do, F Hamilton. Hollyhocks ; First prize, T Amos. Cut Blooms, different : First prize, G S Smith ; second do, W H Revell. Table bouquet : First prize, Mra W S Smith ; second do, Mrs Irvine. Class C— Fruit. Apples : First prize, — Barker ; second do, T Amos. Peaches : First prize, — Beckham ; second do, Mrs Irvine. Plums : First prize, J Barkley ; second do, A Fowler. Strawberries : First prize, W Major ; second do, — Rochfort. Raspberries : First prize, — Rochfort. Class D.— Vegetables. Cucumbers : First prize, H Castle. Rhubarb : First prize, C A C Hardy ; second do, B Taylor. French Beans : First prize, — Eeckman j second do, W. S Smith, Peas : First prige, —. Hebbard ; second do, Mrs M'lntosh. Potatoes, round : First prize, J Payman ; second do, — Dent. Potatoes, kidney : First priz;e, J . Payman j second do, — Dent. Cabbages : First prize, W Jones j second do, C Marron. Turnips : Commended, C A C Hardy. Carrots : First prize, W S Smith ; second do, W H Revell. \ Lettuce : Fecond prize, T Amos. Onions : First prize, W Major ; second do, W S Smith. Vegetable Marrows : First prize, J Orr ; second do, J Johnston. Pumpkins : First prize, B Taylor. . Parsnips : First prize, W H Revell ; second do, G S Smith. Special Prizes. Potatoes (a new variety from America) : — Barker ; hop plant, W Splaine, J Parsons ; millet (Dutch and African), C Prince ; cabbage, F Waters ; apples, J M'Gregor j goose--berries (two varieties) — Barker ; American lilies, P Flanagan ; velotti, W H RevelL . The contents of the table reserved for Mr Barker are, we understand, to be disposed of to-morrow, and the entire display will continue on view this af t§rnoon and evening. If there was enthusiasm 1 among the exhibitors in the vegetable department, there was almost ecstacy among the owners of the various kinds of feathered fowl. For this feeling to be generally prevalent among the spectators, a little more light and better descriptions of pens were desirable^ for some of the best sorts were seen to disadvantage frqm faults of the wicker or wqo4 arrangements in which they were cribb'd, cabin'd, and confined. A hint in time will, no. doubt, encourage exhibitors on other occasions to improve in this particular. It is requisite for exhibitors al§o to remember' that, unless there are three exhibits no firstclass prize can be awarded, unless for superior merit. With regard to the qualities, of the stock; shpwn, it may be said £hat the B.rahmas would class well at any show in the Qolqnies. They were of a high standard of breed, as were the Cochins-rrthe Brahmas being some of those bred by Hfr C. Prince in Victoria, from which they have only lately been imported. In size, form, and feather, they are beautiful birds, as are their immediate descendants. The light Brahmas were also good, and for beauty both the silver-spangled and goldspangled Hamburgs were remarkable. Other - breeds, the Polands especially, were noticeable by their peculiarities, and of one white bantam there was a brief biographical sketch to the effect that she had laid 233 eggs in the course of one year. Our representative having no great acquaintance with fowls except when known in common kitchen parlance as boiled, roast, curried, or devilled, we must be excused enlarging much upon the merits of the creatures in a state of nature. We therefore simply append the prige list ;— Spanish : Second prize, Mr Buggy ; hon. certificate. Mr Helms. Game, Black Red : First prize, MrSheard. Chickens : First prize, Mr Gilbert. Game, Dorking : First prize, Mr Harley ; second do, Mr Gilbert. Chickens : First prize, Mr Gilbert. Bantams : First prize, Mr Barker ; second do, Mr C. Prince; hon. certificate, Mr Helms. Barndoor or Crossbre,ds : First prize, Mr Orr; second do, Mr Braid. ' Silver Spangled Hamburgs : Hon. certificate, Mr Sheard. Golden Spangled Hamburgs : Hon. certificate, MrMiddleton. Dark Brahmas : First prize, Mr C. Prince ; second do, Mr C. Princo. Chickens : First prize, Mr C. Prince ; second do, Mr Derrick. Light Brahmas : Second prize, Mr Masters. Buff Coohins : Second prize, Mr Wylde.

Chickens: First prize, Mr Wylde; second do, Mr M'Gregon White Cochins: Hon. certificate, Mr Harley. Chickens : Second prize, Mr Harley. I A brood of Dark Brahma Chickens, bred by Mr Thurold, took an extra prize. One of the best broods hatched this season. Ducks : First prize, Mr Hicks ; second do, Mr Hicks ; hon. certificate, Mr Jones, baker. Geese : Second pYize, Mr Pelling.Canaries : First prize, Mr Coutanche for single bird and cage ; Mr Hicks first prize for nests of birds. Mr Jaß. Jones, hon. certificate for the best poodle. It should be added, not necessarily as a part of our report of the poultry department, but as a matter of fact that, during last evening, several gentlemen vocalist* contributed to the entertainment of those present by singing solos or duets, to Mr Pow nail's accompaniment ; and we understand that the ponltry, during their performances, behaved with more than their ordinary propriety and less of their extraordinary crow.