The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1912. THE WINTER SHOW.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 5 June 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1912. THE WINTER SHOW.

The third annual show of the Taranaki Agricultural Society -will be opened to-day and continued till Saturday evening. This year the show will be housed in the Society's own spacious buildings, which are just out of the builders' hands. It was felt by not a few at the time the scheme was first mooted that the building contemplated would be altogether of too ambitious a character for the purpose, but events have proved the promoters' confidence to be more than justified, for, in order to cope with the heavy demands for space, the building originally contemplated has had to be considerably extended, till now it covers an extensive area of ground. As it is, there is even yet none too much room. The building is certainly a credit to *ll concerned—to the president (Mr. Walter Ambury), the moving spirit in the concern from its inception, to his fellow committeemen, the builders and the community generally. The new structure marks an epoch in the history of the Society, and will place the Winter Show on a permanent and, let us hope, a prosperous footing. The entries constitute a record, and place the show among the most important winter shows in the Dominion, as will be realised when it is stated that the number is greater by several hundreds than those for the Manawatu Show or the Dominion Show at Hawera. This year the Society has been fortunate in gettiig the Agricultural Department to exhibit its produce. This is generally a show in itself, and it is certainly not less so on this occasion. Every section of the show is well filled, and the quality, as far as could be gathered from a brief inspection last evening, is of an unusually high standard. This is particularly the eu« in regard to the produce classes. Taranaki is known to the outside world as "the garden of New Zealand," and an inspection of the products at a show like the present one proves that the application is not undeserved. Providence has been particularly kind to Taranaki. With ordinary care and industry, almost everything will grow, and grow well, from the humble turnip to the useful apple. It is not uncommon to hear Taranaki spoken of as quite unsuitable for the cultivation of fruit, but an inspection of the magnificent specimens of apples at this show dispels the idea completely. The truth is that apples will do as well in Taranaki as in any part of New Zealand. Indeed, an expert informed us recently that for flavor and texture the Taranaki apple, when properly grown, cannot be equalled. Be that as it may, the fruit that is on exhibition is a splendid advertisement for the fruit-growing qualities of Taranaki, and it is to be hoped that it will lead more in our midst to take up this by

no means imrumunerativo industry, anil thus render us independent of the outside growers. Not only in fruit, but in all other departments of agriculture a show like the present is instructive and valuable. There are so many lessons be learned by the man who is desirous ; obtaining the best results from his

■ -rden and his farm, and by the lady of the house who is desirous of improving her culinary acquirements or her needle attainments. We trust there will be as large an attendance as the show merits—and it merits the attendance of everyone in'the district. Unfortunately the weather does not at the moment show any sign of lifting, but the buildings are weather-proof, unlike the improvised structure that had to do service in the past, and the only inconvenience in bad weather would be involved in going to and from the show buildings; and the show is of such merit as to make it well worth the risk. It is unfortunate that the Governor will not, on account of ill health, be able to formally open the building, but that fact will, we hope, not prevent the public from attending in large numbers to-day a»d on the succeeding days.