TEA AND SILK FARMIXG IN NEW ZEALAND. 249 



covered with tea plants, or, what would probably be of most value 

 ultimately to the colony and to chasericulture, let them make it 

 worth while, and hand over both the responsibility and the profit 

 to the coming New Zealand Chasericultural Company. 



Our story is told. If we have succeeded in advocating the 

 claims of this great enterprise to any purpose, there need surely 

 be little difficulty or hesitation experienced on the part of New 

 Zealand statesmen and colonists in deciding to support it. The 

 company's proposed operations are clearly for the benefit of their 

 adopted country quite as much as for this. A stream of pros- 

 perity irrigating one portion of Her Majesty's dominions cannot 

 fail sooner or later to extend its fertilising influence even to the 

 most distant shores. If the prosecution of chasericulture at the 

 Antipodes is calculated to unlock a fresh coffer of wealth to the 

 colonists, this can be all the more pleasantly achieved by draft- 

 ing off hundreds, perhaps thousands, of willing workers from 

 home to help in the operation and enjoy a share of the boon. 

 On the other hand, let the colonists recollect how many millions 

 of idle capital there are in this rich old Britain which the owners 

 are ever trying wdth eagerness to invest safely and profitably ; let 

 both our New Zealand friends and those nearer home keep in 

 view that large and increasing army of well-born, w^ell-educated, 

 but reduced females already alluded to, to whom employment in 

 a tea and silk company's factory would seem, and indeed be, a 

 Heaven-sent blessing ; let us not forget the atmosphere of joy 

 and cheerfulness such agricultural openings as the company 

 would have to bestow, must carry to the firesides of hundreds of 

 small, strujTjf^lincf farmers and labourers in the old countrv — let 



' DO O >- 



US examine with unbiassed judgment all these highly probable 

 results of this enterprise, and then say if it be not worth pro- 

 moting and encouraging, as likely to rank among the most con- 

 spicuous of the philanthropic and mercantile institutions of this 

 marvellous nineteenth century. 



ACCOUNT OF THE SHOW OF THE HIGHLAND AND 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY HELD AT STIRLING IN 1881. 



TiiK fifty-fourth Show of the Society was held at Stirling on the 

 2Gth, 27th, 28tli, and 29th July. 



The Society had visited Stirling on three previous occasions — 

 namely, in 18'3's the year in wliich the Society celebrated its 

 jubilee^; in 18G4 on a recpiisition signed by 720 ])r()prietors and 

 tenants connected with the district of the Show; and in 1873, 

 when the yard was for the first time kept open for four days, a 

 custom ever since observed. 



