SPECIAL DISPLAYS.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 19 March 1920, Page 2

SPECIAL DISPLAYS.

AT THE OTAKI FLOWER SHOW.

At the horticultural show at Otaki on Wednesday last, several displays for exhibition only added very considerably to the attractiveness of the show, and were greatly admired. Certainly the feature of the show was tho magnificent exhibit staged by Mr Harold Small, of Otaki, referred to in our last issue. The exhibit was a most comprehensive one, embracing a magnifieent collection of British and Continental butterflies delieate, lovely creatures, of every conceivable shape and size, and of the most exquisite colouring—a splendid lot of grasses and cereals, nicely mounted; a good collection of agricultural seeds; a fine lot of specimens of New Zealand woods, oiled and mounted; many quaint novelties in nuts and pino cones, making an attractive display: also a very wide range of beautifully-executed plaster casts (coloured and otherwise) from nature, including fishes, lizards, iungi, star-fish, etc. The wholo display was highly ornamental, artistic, and educational, and certainly one of tho finest of the kind every seen in the district. It elicited the admiration of all who saw it, and Mr Small received numerous flattering commendations on the display.

Mr Walter Best’s exhibit of specimens of inlaid wood work also delighted visitors to the show. Several of these pieces of work were exquisitely done, and displayed rare artistic

ability as well as superb workmanship. Mr F. Westbury (of Lower Hutt, who acted as judge of tho fruit and vegetable sections) staged a fine exhibit of peas and beans—some twenty odd varieties —which were inspected with much interest. .

Mr Robert Be van, of Manakau. had oti exhibition a nice sample of Japanese millet, which is now coming into public favour a-» a fodder for cattle. The display of onions, made by Mr

A. W. Broadway, of Rangiuru, Otaki, vas a regular “eye-opener” to many. It comprised a large number of Brown Spanish onions, wonderfully syiametri--1:11, large, firm and admirably harvested. These onions were grown to perfection, and showed that our Otaki soil can produce onions equal to those of any part of the world. Mr Broadway also staged a nice lot of pickling onions, etc. Another exhibit of interest wos a sample of tlic well-known Robin Adair potatoes, of huge size, several tubers averaging over 21b each. These were grown by Messrs Tews Bros, at Otaki, without any manure whatever. Messrs Wilson Bros, showed, for exhibition only, some exceptionally fine asters and tomatoes, while an exhibit of tomatoes grown by our lochl postmaster (Mr J. W. Hodgson) was a really tip-top one.