SYDNEY SHOW

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 27, 23 April 1927, Page 18 (Supplement)

SYDNEY SHOW

A VISITORS IMPRESSIONS SPLENDID DISPLAYS STRONG CATTLE CLASSES A resident of New Zealand, Mr. W. C. Burridge, who recently visited the Royal Show in Sydney, has written an interesting resume of his impressions for THE SUN. To give some idea of the show property, he §ays, it may be mentioned that the area is 67 acres'and contains numerous pavilions for horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. There are several large pavilions for dogs, cage birds, parrots, pigeons and other exhibits so that cover and shelter is provided for all live stock. Many of these pavilions contain 18,000 to 20,000 super feet of floor space and the agricultural hall contains over 36,000 feet of floor space. Five district courts usually compete for a valuable prize, about £I,OOO being allocated for this section, but as only four courts competed this year the prize money was reduced to £9OO. This money is divided amongst the competing courts according to the number of points secured by each court. Over £14,000 is given in prizes at the show, besides numerous cups and trophies. No pigs were shown this year owing to an outbreak of swine fever or plague in some districts. The principal parade ground and ring is considerably over 200 yards in diameter, fitted with all accessories such as water jumps, hurdles, etc., and brilliantly lighted by electricity, -so that all contests can be clearly seen at night. It is estimated by the secretary that there is ample room for over 50,000 people to comfortably view the ring fyom the various grandstands and slopes. Some 4,500 head of poultry is entered for show and competition. An interesting exhibit in this class is a Black Orpington hen that has laid considerably over 300 eggs in 12 months and adjoining is a box containing the same number of eggs, boxes or trays of the various feeds used for feeding, arui specimens of eggs during the various stages of incubation. These have each an electric light behind them, so that the different j stages can clearly be recognised. HORSE CLASSES FALLING OFF As might be expected, the horse classes are falling off —motor-cars taking the places of carriage and saddle horses. Still some of the hunters and hacks would more than hold their own in any show-ring. One jumper shown has a certified record of- 7 feet 101 inches, and has cleared 7 feet'6 inches in the Sydney show-ring after two days of jumping. GOOD CATTLE An improvement both in quality and numbers was a feature, of the milking Shorthorns. The actual number of entries in this class was 206. The prize for cows, four years and over, was awarded -to Messrs. J. and H. Young’s “Fairy 11., of Fairy dale/* Nine entries were paraded in the class for aged bulls and “Expert o» Darbarlara” was awarded the championship for the second time. There were 138 entries in the class Ilia war a milking Shorthorns against 154 last, year. Mr. W. H. Swan’s “Daphne 11.. of Hill view,” was regarded as one of the best milking cows ever seen on the showground. The sire championship of this section went to Alexander Bros.’ “Fairy Foch of Fairfield,” now six years old. He has an unbeaten record since he completed his first year. Miss E. C. Walker’s “Ruthinia 3rd of Varralla” won the prize for the best Australian-bred Jersey cow and the Governor, Sir Dudley de Chair, himself pinned on the ribbon for the champion cow. “Miama, the 3rd, imported from the Isle of Jersey, ran her very close. Messrs Brown Bros/ “Brown Chief Cavalier” won the championship for Jersey bulls, four years old and over. STATE EXHIBITS The Department of Agriculture exhibits this year surpassed all previous displays and the display of grains, grasses and fodder plants were always crowded by interested onlookers. Mr. J. H. Whittet, Government Agrostologist, in charge of this exhibit, had on the stand in the hall and in the experiment plot outside, arranged the fodder and grasses in such a manner that those with only an elementary knowledge of farming could easily learn how to grow these plants in a manner to secure satisfactory results. From the farms of the Department were collected various native grasses such as Coolah, Queensland Blue, Mitchell Flinders and others, while among the introduced grasses were paspalum. cocksfoot, Guinea, Para, Texas, taudan giant fescue, Wimmera rye and others. What are considered two of the most valuable vHnter grasses are Toowoomba Canary (Phlari3 bulbosa) and tall oat (Avena elatior). Seed ot the former is still very scarce. Kikuyu grass is giving good results in many of the coastal districts and Mr. Whittet recommends it in preference to paspalum as it stands dry weather better 2nd provides succulent green feed longer in the winter. A note of warning should be sounded not to plant Kikuyu grass where only a short rotation is required, as it is not easy to extirpate owing to its underground roots. GRAIN DISPLAYS The maize exhibits were well above the average quality of former years. The “Golden Beauty” maize is very fine, while the Fitzroy and Funk’s yellow is but little behind. The Department is endeavouring to meet an ever-increasing demand for a hardy sweet corn that will retain its sweetness and hardiness and so compete with the American varieties for which there is an increasing demand locally. . Rice is being grown m larger a £rea rt e than formerly in the Murrumbidgee irrigation district; 5,600 acres are now being harvested and 100 bushels an acre are being obtained. Various methods of harvesting are being tried and an Australian firm has adapted a header with an auxiliary engine with good results. , .. This crop has helped to solve ttie problem of dealing with the heavy land, on the irrigation area, that was unsuited to other crops, principally owing to the fact that the water can be drained off to permit of the ripening crop being handled by the ordinaryharvesting machines. GRASS AND WEEDS Various kinds of lucerne were exhibited, such as Algerian, Peruvian, Turkestan, Montana, Kansas, Grimm and made an interesting display, but do not compare favourably with the 10 An exhibit of noxious weeds growing in pots attracted a deal of attention, among them are various kinds of thistles, Bathurst and other burrs, dodder, stinkwort, St. John s vort. fleabane, stramonium, wireweed, wild verbena and others. .. Being in the natural green state they were more easy of recognition than the dried and mounted specimens.