TOWN AND COUNTRY "RUB SHOULDERS" 



too, have to be more spick and span, more care- 

 fully finished, and more weather-tight than 

 formerly. I do not think such additional ex- 

 penditures as these are to be deprecated, provided 

 that they are not carried to an extreme, because 

 they are conducive to order and method, but, 

 from a financial point of view, they do not bring 

 any material grist to the mill in the shape of gate 

 money. After all, the best excuse for a spending 

 proclivity is an income that will admit of it. If 

 we can afford luxuries, we may indulge in them 

 within the bounds of reason ; if, in the end, we 

 have to retrench we must be careful to cut off 

 superfluities and not necessities. 



Agricultural shows have something to recom- 

 mend them from a social point of view, for, 

 whilst they provide a rallying point for the 

 elements which go to make up our rural popula- 

 tions, they bring the urban inhabitant within the 

 radius of such influence. Town and country " rub 

 shoulders " in a show yard, and anything that 

 can help the former to a fuller comprehension 

 of the latter's work, and a juster appreciation of 

 his difficulties, must be in no small degree bene- 

 ficial. It is not unnatural to suppose that the 

 sight of such types of animal life as are to be found 

 there may have a desirable educational influence 

 upon the mind of the borough voter ; may extort 

 from him some admiration of the skill and patience 

 which have assisted to produce such results ; 

 and may help him to a better conception of the 

 value of our native flocks and herds than he 

 previously possessed. By a natural train of 

 thought this may remind him of the necessity 



241 R 



