ÆSTHETICS AND AGRICULTURE

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1031, 20 December 1872, Page 2

ÆSTHETICS AND AGRICULTURE

A humorous contributor to the Canterbury ' Press,' who might well adopt a better name than that of " Loafer in the Street," gives thus a la Artemus Ward, his ideas of an agricultural show:—

I should like to go in for a pound or two of ecstasy about the Agricultural Show, but I can't. My mind is not built on an agricultural basis. I can look at a prize bull without an approach to a tear. I can't feel romantic at a well-grown cart horse, aud sheep are the least bit common here. Thero is nothing original about sheep. Pigs are useful though un-» clean ; but I'm no judge of them, or was not until the show day, when vSlaggs took me round and explained plained all about pigs. He took two hours at this Christian performance. I left him without a murmur. I shouldn't mind going mad upon some respectable subject, but fancy being mad on pigs! I saw everything at the show, the prize beer especially. I had so high an opinion of this branch of colonial industry, that I went there often during the day, until I was warned off. I saw lots of people at that show who came—not to see the show—but to show themselves. Bless 'em, and quite right too. Its not every day you can exhibit yourself before 9000 people. I trust some of these gentle folk met their affinities, and that they will live happily. I was going to the flower show, but I saw a lady close by the door with a bat, in which, so far as I could see, all the flowers and most of the fruits in the world were represented. I thought the collection couldn't bo better inside, so I saved a shilling, and went and looked at the implements. Before concluding this really interesting paragraph, I notice in one of the reports connected with the show that the demand for bulls was very limited, the majority being purchased by the sausage makers. I didn't eat any myself last week. Did you ? If so, how did you find them. I only ask from curiosity, for I quite believe that sausage meat demands skilled labor, and, as Sam says, " It's tho seasoning as does it."