THE Wairarapa Age. MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1908. THE REVIVAL OF HORTICULTURAL SHOWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9086, 11 May 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age. MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1908. THE REVIVAL OF HORTICULTURAL SHOWS.

The announcement that Horticultural Shows, after a long period of inactivity, are to be revived in Masterton is welcome news, and the interest that is being taken in the newly-formed Horticultural and Industrial Society should be very encouraging to the promoters. To-mor-row evening the General Committee will meet, when the principal business will be the election of a ladies' committee. As the success of the society will depend very largely on the efforts of the ladies it is to be hoped that the committee formed will be strong and representative of both town and country. Flower shows are always attractive as well as instructive, but the greatest benefit resulting from the efforts of such societies is the improvement in cottage gardening. On this account alone the society should receive generous support and we hope to see liberal d^na-

ticns to the prize list, and every on- j courage merit given to amateur gardeners to compete for the prized. Some thirty years ago the Horticultural Society was one of Masterton'a most flourishing institutions, and considerable interest was taken in the shows held every hulf year. Sheepfarmers in the immediate neighbourhood generally employed professional gardeners, and they contributed largely to the shows, drayloads of pot plants, vegetables and fruit being sent in for exhibition and competition. Whilst the exhibits of professional gardeners inside and outside the borough were thd main--1 stay of the show, they had the effect [of killing the efforts of amateur exhibitors, and the latter's exhibits began to dwindle to the vanishing point. The former society gradually lost the services of some of its oldest members, ani they could not be replaced by members possessed of the necessary enthusiasm and knowledge of the work required to carry on successful shows. The result was inevitable, and the society died a lingering death. The present society would do well to pay special attention to the industrial section, as it is always popular and will have the effect of giving a new impulse to home work. We trust the new society will enjoy a long and prosperous career.