POPULAR ATTRACTIONS 



far then is it prudent, and politic to go in the 

 matter of supplying the modern demand for 

 what are termed " popular attractions " ? Whilst 

 no hard-and-fast line can be drawn, because local 

 conditions are an element in the case, I hope 

 and believe that our shows, when they rise re- 

 juvenated after the war, may be able to fulfil their 

 mission without following the example of those 

 in the Colonies, where a large portion of the show 

 yard partakes of the nature of a country fair, and 

 where acrobats, contortionists, performing animals, 

 et hoc genus omne, are allowed to disport themselves. 

 I would substitute for these plenty of good 

 music, floricultural displays, and exhibitions illus- 

 trative of arts and crafts and village industries. 

 In the matter of attractions, I think, in this country 

 at any rate, we can safely trust what has been 

 described as " the great body of middle opinion," 

 which typifies in itself solid, sober, British common 

 sense likely to be well represented on Agricultural 

 Show Committees which would know where to 

 stop. We have most of us come round to the 

 opinion that no open-air agricultural stock show 

 can exist without recognizing the sporting instincts 

 of Englishmen by the provision of jumping com- 

 petitions, and it is satisfactory to find, on the 

 testimony of judges of wide experience, that this 

 has not resulted in attracting only " circus horses," 

 trained to negotiate a series of show-ring obstacles, 

 and good for nothing else. As these competitions 

 have become more general, the quality of the horses 

 entered has distinctly improved, and their aggre- 

 gate monetary value has largely increased. At 

 the same time, the introduction to the show yard 



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