April, 1921 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



163 



THE NEW SHOW IN SCOTLAND. 



To Auimal Husbandry men and perhaps others who 

 have to do with Canadian exhibitions, a recent event 

 in Scotland, "The Royal Ayrshire Show," popularly 

 known as "The New Show," presents some food for 

 thought. Shows, exhibitions and expositions as they 

 are variously called have ever claimed the credit of 

 being great developing agencies. Education, demon- 

 stration, inspiration, etc., have always crowned them 

 in luncheon speeches and press reports. Their power 

 and their benefit cannot be denied, but the fulness of 

 their service may well be questioned and the direction 

 of their force may often be condemned. While recog- 

 nizing to the full the virtue of the show, it must also 

 be admitted that it has been one of the greatest propa- 

 gators of useless fads and fancies with which Agricul- 

 ture has been burdened. So much so is this true that 

 the commonplace man has come to regard the show^ 

 animals with at least a measure of suspicion. Such has 

 been the diagnosis of the Jiard headed frugal Scotch- 

 man of the old land, and may the writer, with some 

 knowledge of shows in general, add that the Scottish 

 show has not been a lone offender. 



At any rate the Scotchmau decided to put his Ayr- 

 shire Cattle house iu order aiul in attempting' to do so 

 he had no easy task. Tradition and the established 

 order of things are alwaj's formidable opponents. 

 Moreover the old time show in Ayrshire, Scotland, as 

 elsewliere, had made reputations which were not going 

 to be readily sacrificed; it was performing a distinct 



service of a certain type for those who dominated it, 

 and any interference with the channel of its influence 

 meant serious disturbance. But the soundness of the 

 cause and the justice of the case ultimately forced the 

 issue with the result that the majority of Ayrshire 

 breeders in Scotland who were keeping pure bred 

 Ayrshire Cattle for their worth to the Dairy industry, 

 organized a "New Show," a show designed to render a 

 commercial service to Ayrshire cattle interests. Classes 

 whicli would provide not only display, but also feature 

 constructive breeding, were arranged, and a judging 

 system was developed with a view to handicapping the 

 drones, as well as putting a premium on production 

 worth. A scoring system was designed whicli amount- 

 ed to bonusing in three divisions the individual of 

 merit. Individuality, mamniary development, and ac- 

 credited milk ])riiduction i-ei-eive:i niaxininm bonuses of 

 thirty, thirty-five and thirty-five points respectively. 



Tlu> show was an overwhelming success. The new 

 idea brought forth exhibits from all parts of the breed- 

 ing country, the aged cow class alone including seven- 

 ty-eight of Scotlands best cows, many of which were 

 never shown and never would have been shown at a 

 .show on the old order. The judging system as outlined 

 did not prove perfect under test but the idea was de- 

 monstrated to be workable and even in its present im- 

 perfect form did result in very largely attaining the 

 object for which it was intended. It featured true 

 worth in the Ayrshire cow and forcibly demonstrated 

 where it lay. (H. Barton, ^lacdonald College.) 



Hobsland Nancy 6th (57121): siro. D;ilfiljbk- Wide Av.ake (HSSiJ); ii;uii. Hobtland Xanc.v c25T2S). Bred by and the 

 property of Thos. Barr, Hobsland, Monkton, Scotland. Winner of the champion cup for the best Ayrshire cow 



or heifer, in milk or in calf, Ayr .'<liow, I^hnmry. 1921. 



