The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1875.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 264, 5 October 1875, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1875.

The Nelson Agricultural Association give notice that the spring show of farm stock and produce will be held early in November. Hitherto there has, as a rule, been too little interest taken in these shows, which are regarded as unimportant, and the dav is usually devoted by those who attend them to mere holiday-making. This is not a healthy sign, and so long aa such a state of things exists we cannot look for any perceptible improvement in the quality of the slock raised in our farming districts. If a.little more friendly rivalry among stock-breeders could be excited the quality of the cattle to be seen in the Waimeas and elsewhere would not be so inferior as" it is now, when our graziers and agriculturists are content, to jog along year after year without making any attempt to bring about an improvement that is so much wanted. Notably is this the case with horned cattle, for although a few;good cows may be discovered after a diligent search, we doubt very much whether anything approaching to a really pure bred bull is to be found in the whole of the suburban districts. We never hear of cattle being imported for breeding purposes, and consequently it is useless to look for any change for the better in the class of animal that is usually to be found on our farms. In the quality of the sheep an improvement certainly has been effected within the last few years, which is, perhaps, owing to the fact that well bred stock of thia kind are not so costly as the larger cattle. If the want of capital is the reason why these latter are not imported it would be well worthy of the consideration of breeders in Nelson whether it would not be worth their while to club together with a view to purchasing one or two first-class bulk If a star? were once made in this direction the superiority of the produce of the newly-imported amtnals would soon show the mistake that has been made in continuing to

t|ar|?p "poor j a j6f|ss ||^ cattle aa tip ifarntiei^ Lavej Mtff^ct^peea content^ ( t(^ bre^d. sOde o|vtj^greafc sights i^ bd^geri in NeiW^lMid is the Chngjp* church Cattle Slow. In that province neither expense nor trouble have been spared to obtain first-class animals, and if a few of our farmers could but afford the tiraeiaod 'jasoaejjr to? pay that city <; a? .y,i§ffc_ ue^t m;orj(th:.w|en:'rt|e great ahdVJ is to be held they would certainly come back impressed with the necessity of pojver in the footsteps of thei? southern ne'ighß6rs.r"-A gboil bedst, of whieii thi ' owner need not be ashamed, eats no more ihan an inferior one, while" its"' value is far gredterjibjilvtiHe'tf, there ia, of course, the, expense necessary to.secure thoroughly good parent stock. We cannot but think,, 'howeVeivJthat this might be met in some, a^ch-way as we have suggested: 5 But, 'if we cannot exhibit such animals as are to be seen in Can(?erbutyj-let;u3'Shqwthe best we have,' and if in this way the v Agricultural Agsociation, should be the meana , of inducing, a,. healthy spfnt of jrivalpy among the farmers arid stiock-breeders of it will ' have done good service. The settled in Mottteka;ha^e the reputation of producing 'some of the beat stock in the province, and if th,ey are really deserving of it let them come forward nexfe month, &nd show theip; friends in< the ' Waitheaa . the superiority of their animals. If more general: interest , were taken' in these shows- we feel convinced that they would be productive of vecy, beneficial results,-and\ none will be .more, gratified than ourselves to note that afc this year's exhibition there is a far larger attendance, and a greater number of stock shown than at any which have preceded Hi.. ■■■■■ ■ - -■, ■;. : : ■ \ ■*- , - -:■>:■