July 1, 1898.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
57 
COLOMBO HOKTICULTURAL SHOW. 
THE SHOW AND ITS LESSONS. 
The utility of Exhibitions of profluce is a well- 
worn subject; and we certainly cannot tnke 
blame to ourselves for having faileil to press it 
on the attention of the public and the Govern- 
ment. While we do not pretend that our efforts 
and tlie efforts of those who think with us, on 
belialf of Agricultural Shows have altogether failerl, 
we yet coni^ider tliat a ereat deal, a very great 
deal, remains to be done. Colombo was, for a 
long time, the only centre of population in which 
A^ri-Horticultural Shows — witii the most elastic 
interpretation of the poly syllabic description — 
were held ; and although the stranger wondered 
a.t the connection of the interesting animals, 
pottery, baskets, jewels and all manner of curios 
that were exliibited, with agriculture and horti- 
culture, visitors, wiielher loreign or indigenous, 
were greatly interested in, if not always in- 
structed by, the variety and richness of the 
display. Perhaps no Government Agent was ever 
more ea-^ei in organizing and promoting Agri- 
Horticultural Shows than Sir Charles Peter 
Layard — hinsself an enthusiastic horticulturist, 
lover of animals and collector of curios ; and it 
may not be amiss to inform the modern 
oiiicial that the then veteran Nestor of the 
Civil Service, found time and opportunity to 
organizj these Shows when the burden of the un- 
divided Western Province (including Sabara- 
gamuwa) was on his shoulders, when Kalutara 
and Negombo had no resident Assistant Agents, 
and even when the Colombo Municipality was 
under his direct charge. After his retirement, 
the recurrence of Shows was more fitful ; and 
the last that was organized, after a very 
long interval, was in 1891, shortly after Mr. A. 
R, Dawson had assunicd the administration cf 
the Province. That Show was a great success. 
Loth for e.xtent and variety ; but the provok- 
ing delay that occurred in tlie distribution of 
medals after they were awarded— was it not 
niore than a year ? — left a very bad impres- 
siou on the minds of Exhibitors. Possibly, 
it was the meniory of that disappointment which 
rendered the Agent of the Province unwilling 
to promote another Show during the years that 
intervened ; and probably the same reason 
operated to make the organizes of the Fruit 
and Flower Show just concluded, attempt 
a revival only on a modest scale. Whatever the 
original intention, however, the gradual growth 
of the veature was a most pleasing featu;e ; 
while ihe consummation was not only far beyond 
the original conception, but, we feel sure, was 
also greatly in advance of the general expectation. 
And for this, the highest praise is due to the 
Sub-Committee of management, and especially to 
Sir F. R. Saunders, whose large experience, local 
knowledge and well-known tact singled him out 
as the best possible chairman and to Messrs. 
W. E. Davidson and C. Drieberg, whose enthu- 
siasm im])Osed on them an amount of work which 
must have taxed their energies to the utmost, 
but to which they sliowed themselves quite equal. 
Nor must we omit in our commendations and 
congratulations for the splendid success of the 
Show, the two ladies,— Mrs. Ellis and ?.Iiss Taylor. 
— who more than justified the new departure ol 
having the fair sex represented on the Executive 
Committee of a Colombo Show. 
Now, the very success of the Fruit and Flower 
Show just concluded, supplies a rebuke to those 
— we do not name names : let those whom the 
cap fits wear it! -who have allowed years to 
elapse without an Exhibition in Colombo. We 
referred at the outset to the success which has 
attended the eflbrts of our advocacy of Shows ; 
but this success has been secured outside the 
capital. While Assistant Agents have vied with 
each other in promoting Shows, and Kegalla, 
Matale, Mataia, and especially Nuwara Eliya 
have entered the lists, to the reproach of capitals 
of Provinces, and even somnolent Kandy has 
roused itself to a Siiow or two,— Colombo has 
lagged behind. The metropolis hns in tVict of 
late years sec the rest of [he Isiaiul a bad example, 
which his almost nnllified the service it rendered 
in originally pointing the way in the organi- 
sation of Shows. We need not labour tu prove 
tl:at Agrieultura! Sliow^s if they are to serve 
their primary and most obvious object of pro- 
moting agriculture by healthy competition, must 
occur at regular intervals, annually by preference, 
so that exhibitors under the stim'ilus of success 
and the disa|)poinin)ent of defeat, may put 
forth their best efforts to excel. Competition at 
irregular intervals chills enthusiasm, and tends 
to make one forget the lessons both of success 
and failure ; while sjiasmodic Shows further 
mean generally the denial of sufficient time 
to prepare for the competition. It is im- 
possible, with only three or four months' 
notice, to specially grow most of the fiuits 
vegetables, flowers and general products for which 
prizes are otfered ; and mere chance exhibits 
even if they win a prize, scarcely teach the 
needed lesson. We do not dispute, oi nnder-rate 
the social as]iects of friendly competition and the 
advantages attendant on the gathering, under 
one roof, of men and women of dilferent nationa- 
lities, in preparation, in exhibition, in judgino- 
and in enjoyment of the pioiusion and beauty ot 
the treasures which our beautiful Island yields • 
but the primary object in view is not social, but 
economical, industrial and educational. We trust 
therefore, that Sir Frederick Saunders will call 
together the inilueutial Committee under whose 
auspices the Show was inaugurated and decide 
at once on the revival of the Agri-Horticultural 
Society, or on the formation of a kindred Society 
for the holding of a Fruit and Flower Show 
annually in ('olombo. 
Let this, then, be the first lesson of the " 
Show, namely, that Shows should be held once a 
year in Colombo. Hitlierto, we fancy, ona 
of the chief obstocles to an annual Show has 
been the cost, a large share of which, in the 
shape of buildings and decorations, had to be borne 
by Mudaliyars and other chief Headmen. We are 
b/ no means favourable to the exaction of 
such services from Headmen because they render 
them uncomplainingly. They are not all weal- 
thy ; the official salary of none of them is specially 
generous; and it is not right to place oblifations 
on Headmen which either involve them in 
serious expense, or tempt them to place those 
under their influence under contribution. They 
may cheerfully enough assist in decorations, (Src. 
on a great public occasion ; but Shows we 
maintain, once properly oifranised, can be 
run so as to i)ay their way, or at most to call 
for a EuDscriptioii of a guinea or so a year 
from Colombo and upcountry residents who will 
gladly give what is needed! In this view, the 
ulea of liolding the Show in the School of 
