MASTERTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 24 April 1913, Page 6

MASTERTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following is the report to be presented ;it the annua} meeting of the Masteiton Horticultural and Industrial Society, to be held on Mav Ist: "The committee have pleasure in presenting this, the fifth annual report, together with statements of account, attached, from which members j ivill bo able to see the results of the ! Society's work during the year under review. With a view to maintaiming the interest displayed in the culture of bu!bs_ the Society again, held a bulb exhibition, which proved highly successful. J)onation s of -bulbs towards competitions were received from Messrs Alfred Booth, Carterton, ard W. 11. Higgins, bulb grower, Geelong, Australia, the winners being Mrs G. W. Sellar and Messrs Cassin and Summerell. Mr Alfred Booth again staged a, beautiful collection of bloom s for exhibition, which together with the Mosul's displayed by the Society, distinctly showed tliat within a feV year,s the Society could reasonably expect to hold a. bulb show proper. . "The rose and sweet pea show was one of the finest ever held in the district.. Visiting judges and nurserymen considered the display of roses equal to anything that could be produced any where in New. Zealand. Unfortunately sweet peas were again on the weak side owing to the extremely wet spring. Mr T. Dixon holds the "Dixon Rose Bowl' for the champion rose, which this year was made a special class, for which there were 19 entries. Miss T. Dyer, of Featherston, holds the "Silver Challenge Bowl" for sweet peas. From a financial point the show was also a great success, the deficit being only £7 Is, as against £l6 10s scl for the previous year. "The fifth Autumn Show again shows a smaW profit, thanks to the many donors towards the prize fund. The display of pot plants at this show was undoubtedly one of the finest ever staged in the Wairarapa, and keen competition was the rule in the majority 0 f t.he classes. Though record entries were .received for the show, the cut flowers were not of the usual high standard, due principally to the long spell of dry weather. There was a large falling off in the entries for the decorated 'tables owing to the scarcity of suitable flowers. As usual at this s how, a ballot was taken for the tables, and the judge's verdict of first, second and third was confirmed in the same order by the ballot. The champion tickets for the best aster in the show was awarded to Mrs H. T. Wood, best rose Mr G. C. Summerell. "At a special general meeting of members held on the 17th January last, it was unanimously decided to amend the show regulations to allow nurserymen to compete in the open classes, and to alter" the term "amateur" to "cottager." "During the year the Soeietv suffered a severe loss through the death of its ex-President, Mr James Pryor, who at all times took a most active and enthusiastic (interest in its doings. At the suggestion of the late Mr Pryor the Society initiated a new scheme (which was r>ry much appreciated) of placing the name of the exhibitor on the exhibit number, by which means the public were able .to see whom the competitors in the different classes were. "The committee, recognising that the Society is not receiving the revenue from door takings that it should, owing to the system of issuing family tickets not being satisfactory, have given the following notice of motion : "That instead of issuing family tickets as at present, members paying 10s per annum be supplied with one member's and three lady' s tickets.' "The committee desire to place on record the thanks of the Society to Mr J. S. Berriman for the magnificent exhibition of cut blooms (geraniums and petunias) he made at the rose and .sweet pea show. "The thanks of the Society are due to tUie following ladies and gentlemen for donations to the prW fund: — Mtesdames 0. A. Cameron, J. Caselberg, P. R. Cook, D: M. Graham, R. U. Harden, G. W. Sellar, R. O. Smith, C. F. Vallance, H. T. Wood, and MissMacara, Messrs J. N. Anderson (Napier), H. Beale and Co. W. G. Beard, Hugh H. Beetham, W. H. Beetham, Alfred Booth (Middle Run), D. Caselborg, J. Caselberg, W. B.' Chenmells. F. Cooper Ltd. (Wellington), C. E. Daniell.• JS. Hale, Alex. Henderson, W. J. Hir.sch.berg, P. L. Hollings, T. Hoi-ton and Co., Ltd., (Hastings), Dr Archer Hosking,. Dr W. H. Hosking, Wm. Kemp, 1 vi;; and Co., Ltd., F. G. Maunsell, J..; B. Moodie, O'Leary Bros, and Downs' (Auckland), A. Robinson and Sons, G. W. Sellar, A. J. Stone-Wigg. G. R. ©ykes, M.P., Te Aro Seed Co. (Wellington), M. R. Vaniham, W.F.C.A., J. Weightman and Sons (Feilding), A. P. Whitman and Arthur Yates and Co. (Auckland); and to Mesdam.es W. McKenzie and W.

Moore (Carterton), Messrs Dobbin (T. Barton, Ltd., Pahiatua), Fitzgerald (F. Cooper Ltd., Wellington), Hale, Holder (Wellington) and Kemp, lor acting as judges at the different shows, and to the A. and P. Association and W. B. Chonnell s a,n-d Co. for the free use of their offices as meeting rooms, and to Mr Arthur 1). Low for auditing the account*. "During the past year 10 committee meetings were. held, which were attended as follows:—Messrs G. W. Sellar (President) 7, E. Hale (VicePresident) 5, G. C. Summerell (VicePresident) 7, J. C. Alpass (5, .las. Candy 4, J. Oaselberg 4, R. G. Dixon 3, Alexander Henderson (5. W. .!. Hirschberg 2. W. Kemp •*>, J. H. Moodie 1 S. A. Xobl* 2. M. it, Vaniham 6. "In conclusion, the committee hope that there will bo a largo attendance •at the annual meeting to be held on Thursday, May Ist, in the A. and P. Rooms, Perry Street, at 8 p.m."