THE TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION’S SHOW.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 91, 30 October 1878, Page 2

THE TIMARU AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION’S SHOW.

The thirteenth annual show, under the auspices of the above-named association, opened yesterday. To-day, however, must be considered the Show Day, as a great number of the entries were not required to be on the ground yesterday. For this reason it would be improper on our part to attempt to make any critical remarks on the exhibits placed before the public view yesterday. A few general remarks cannot, however, be considered out of place. The first thing that strikes the eye on appi caching the main entrance is one of the famous Althouse windmills, and its rapidly-revolving pinktipped fans are as pretty as they are useful. This specimen of our American cousins’ ingenuity is devoid of the “ tail” which usually forms a part of the structure of small wind-mills, and serves to keep the vanes at right angles to the wind. The tail is here dispensed with by placing the vanes on the lee side of the supporting framework. This arrangement appears to ansu er perfectly, thewhole swinging easily with every and-the slightest variation in the direction of the wind. By a simple lever attachment arranged for the purpose, the exhibitor can show you the manner in which the vanes yield to the force of a gale. The mill is exhibited at the work it is most commonly applied to-, aud is especially constructed for, being set to work a pump.It is not set to show what it can do, bub only how it does it. It merely lifts a little dirty water two or three feet, and drops it back again. This pump, as we said, is the first thing to strike the eye on approaching the. entrance, but probably few persons will of their own motion go* straight away to it on entering the grounds in order to make a closer examination of it.

For immediately on entering the gates the visitor’s rapid glance round will fall upon a long line of implements, the said line commencing at* his very feet and stretching westwards as far. as it can. without going, out of bounds altogether.. Here are ploughs for turning one furrow, for turning two, for turning three furrows, turn-wrist, plougns and drill ploughs, ploughs of many kinds, of many makes, of) many colors. Here are liarrows heavy and harrows light, harrows with teeth and harrows without. Here are drills and sowers to follow the. harrows, and rollers to followthese. Here are reapers and mowers and reapers and binders. A full investigation of the “ ins and outs ” of the latter will teach us many a lesson, and must exalt our sense of American ingenuity- Our yesterday’s experience corroborates thn experience of. other.' days, that a machine is- very much, better than one equally as good if it has an efficient panegyric attachment. A new implement, and one which we believe will come into extensive use in this Colony, is is the hay-loader, a simple kind of elevator, which being attached to the back of a. di ay or waggon lifts the hay from the ground into the vehicle. The hay may be either in wind-rows, in swathe, or tedded. . Chaff-cutters, root-cutters, and corn-crushers, are also to the fore. A hay-rake, in which the horse furnishes, the motive power required to tilt the rake, will attract attention, as will also the cheap, wooden horse rakes that look so like exaggerated s- t. combs. Threshing machines have become so familiar to our' eyes, and have been so little altered of late years that the most improved forms, shall scarcely attract a crowd. The. crowd here has a chance at at all events.. One more remark on the hardware, and we will re"enons d nos moutons , that is to say, go and look at the sheep. That remark is this, How much more pleasant it. would be for admirers of implements if those implements received their new coats of paint or varnish a few days, before the show comes off, so that the said coats of many colours would not besmear the coats and hands of Her Majesty’s lieges, making them of many colours also. • The sheep form a large and interesting portion of the show.' Tne long-wools are not so numerously represented as last year, while the merinos muster more strongly. The latter have been for a few years back comparatively neglected in favor of the long wools. A reaction is perhaps setting in. The long-woolled have been so petted and pampered that they now carry themselves too haughtily. They pay no regard to their owners weaker fences, they refuse to supply an. eatable mutton, and they rudely return your stare in other most bare-faced and unblushing manner. The poor merinos, neglected by man, seem to have neglected themselves. Their coats, their caps, their ornaments are rough and dirty; their very necks seem bowed with the yoke of inferiority capricious man has placed upon them. The treatment they have received has made them cynics and misanthropes, they turn up their noses in sneering disgust whenever a person approaches'them. Yet they have not lost all self-respect. They turn away and strive to hide the shame they feel. “ Eevenons h ” the Merino, they are “ nos moutons. 5 ’ As a matter of taste it is really difficult to choose between the two binds of sheep, much depending on the meaning attached to the word taste. The one kind is certainly more pleasing to the eye, the other no less certainly more pleasing to the palate. We hope to be able to give our readers a fuller account of the show as it will appear 10-day,