The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-09-03 00:00:00

WORCESTERSHIRE AGRICULTURAL

SOCIET Y.

EXHIBITION AT KIDDERMINSTER.

The Woteestershire agriculturists are following .•
example of their neighbours in Warwickshire and Go.
cesterahire, and instead of always hoisting the amines
show in connection with their •,..lety in one locality,
they have resolved to make if migratory. This year is
the first time they have triei the e peritrie3tt, end they
have had every encourager ..•nt el: far in -si rine. It
was suggested that they • houid g.. '' .
of the county and Kidderminster a • „ were
mentioned SI neighbour! lulls ' !. • show.
when the matter was mosb :I in Kisht, '3.11 at, it NVSS at
once taken up most warmly. 'the so,..jety required, as a
sine 'phi non, that the resident, is tot locality where the
show was held should contribute 5.,06 t."Ards the general
expenses, and also find a site. So heartily did the people
of Kidderminstar euter into the scheme, that they raised
£l5O, which has enabled them, esides doing all that the
society requires, to ofier special prizes as well. The use
of some ground of Mr. D. W. Goodwin's near Blakedown,
was granted for the show, and about ten or twelve acres
of meadow land have been here enclosed, and the neeee-
sary buildings erected.
Tuesday last was the first day of the show, and by the
time the ground was open to visitors, everything was ar-
ranged in due order, and the general appearance of the
show ground was an agreeable one. From the ample
area encksed there was no crowding of any of the exhi-
bits, and full justice was done to them in the manner in
which they were classified The way from the railway
station to the show ground was enfivened with Hags and
streamers, and the townspeople generally appeared much
interested in the affair. Being the first day of the show,
the admission was higher than it was on Wednesday and
Thursday, and this, of course, militated against any
large concourse of people on the ground. There was,
however, a fair attendance.
There were 284 entries in all, viz., 76 of cattle, 67 sf
sheep, 32 of pigs, 58 of horses, 6 of wool, 7 of barley,
and 38 of implements, &c. From these, however, a
slight percentage has to he taken off for withdrawals.
There were 79 exhibitors of live stock, wool, and barley,
and
.37 of. implements.

The judgesrwere : Cattle—Messrs. H. Haywood, Here-
ford ; 'l'. Morris. Gloucester; John K. Fowler, Ayles-
bury. Slot]) owl Pigs—Messrs. George A. May, Tam.
worth; Charles Hobbs, Crickdale. Cart Horses—Mr.
John Manning, Orlingluary, near Wellingliciry. Horses
—Hunters, Barks, and Ponies—Mr. Tuomas Heywood,
Hereford. Wool—Mr. Joseph Naylor, Kidderminster.
Barley—Mr. R. Woodward, Arley Castle. Impleinents—
Ur. W. H. Clare, Atherstone. Horticultural—Messrs.
C. Turner, Windsor; R. Parker Tooting.

Among the cattle, the clirdi of Herefords was very
good. They were, however, few in number, which was
owing we believe to the purchases for exportation made
at the Oxford show, and also to an ill-founded rumour
that there was foot and mouth disease in the neighbour.
hood, which has made some breeders of stock shy of
competing. The short-horns were also very fair, but no
doubt the merits of this class would have been more no-
ticeable if Lady Emny Pigot's entries had not been
withdrawn. Aninngst the sheep, the Leicesters were not
largely exhibited, and made but spoor competition. The
shearling rams in the next class (long wooled, not being
Leiceaters) were particularly good. !Ilie rams of any age
were also good. Theaves and ewes in this class were less
meritorious. The Shropshire sheep were excellent, and
many of the best breeders competed. There was great
uniformity in the exhibits, a merit which has been want- ,
ing at some recent shows, including the Royal. The
eross.breils were indifferent in number end character. '
The pigs were of excellent quality, the names I f the ex- 1
hibitors were sufficient guarantee of the merits of this
part of the exhibition. The horses were not the least
part of the show, and finer animals than were to be seen ,
in some of the classes could scarcely be met with. The !
implements were also very good, and varied in character. !
A horticultural exhibition was held in connection with
the show, and the prizes offered caused a very good com-
petition. Amongst the prize-takers were the Earl of
Beauchamp, Mr. Dowdeswell, M.P., Mr. Lea, M.P., Mr.
E. Morton, Mr. Stallard, Wood and Co., Mr. Sherriff,
M.P.. Mr. Fewkes, Earl Somers, Mr. Brown•Westhead,
M.P., Mr. T. H. Pargeter, &c., 3:c. There was a tine
display of fuchsias, dahlias, petunias, ferns, greenhouse
and ornamental plants, and some very fine fruits and
vegetables in this show. T. H. Pargeter, Esq., of Wol-
lescote, took several prizes.
Mr. W. C. Piroistone, of Hagley, obtained second
prize foes pen of five Shropshire ewes.
SECOND DAY—The appearance of the show yard, on
Wednesday, was much more lively than on the previous
day. On Tuesday the weather was good, but it could
not he said to be bright ; but Wednesday was one of the
moot beautiful of autumn days, and was sufficient of it-
self, even if the entrance fee had not been reduced from
is 63 to Is, to induce half a neighbourhood to go sight
seeing. The attendance on the first day was very small,
and we regret to kale that the takings amounted to only
£52, or a little more than half the proceeds of the first
Joy last year. V. ednesday, however, would in some mea-
sure niake up the deficiency, the show yard being crowdcd
with spectators nearly the whole of the day. In accord-
ance with the programme the cattle and horses were
paraded in the judging ring in the course of the fore-
noon ; bat the chief attraction of the day was the com-
petition of hunting horses for the prizes given for jump-
ing. This began at one o'clock. There were five prizes
of £5 each, and the competition was confined to certain
classes of horses specified. Three entered the lists from
Classes 36 and 37; and after a spirited contest the prize
fell to a cheenut gelding belonging to Mr. E. W. Hay.
, wood, of Mhos, Redditch. There were four competitors
, in the second contest from classes 38 and 39; but after
• a few trials two found they had no chance, and retired.
There was then some very pretty leaping by Mr. Nath-
aniel Smith's horse " Hunderley,- aid Mr. Charles
Cook's mare "Lucinda," the owner of the latter eventu-
ally carrying away the prize to Winchcomb. The com-
petition was throughout of the same character, and pre.
sented but little variety.
We must not forget to mention the exhibition of seeds
by the eminent serif amen and corn factors, Messrs. E.
Webb and Sons, Ivy Mills, Wordsley. There were some
fine specimens of rye, long in the grass, and fine in the
ear; and some first-class samples of mangolds, swedes,
and turnips. They also exhibited a specimen of shoddy,
or wool waste manure, it being one of the best ant
cheapest manures offered to the agriculturist at the pre-
sent time.