192  The  Gloucester  Show,  1909. 
fewer  in  number.  Wax  was  a strikingly  good  feature  of 
the  Show. 
Competitions. 
Butter-making. — The  number  of  competitors  was  102,  and 
the  competitions  were  confined  to  dairy  students  who  had 
received  instruction  in  dairying  in  their  respective  counties, 
and  who  had  never  won  a prize  at  the  Shows  of  the  R.A.S.E., 
Bath  and  West,  Royal  Counties,  and  at  the  London  Dairy 
Show.  The  competitors  were,  on  the  whole,  a smart,  capable 
lot,  and  the  method  of  working  adopted  by  them  gave  very 
practical  results.  The  different  competitions  were  keenly 
contested,  the  work  was  neatly  and  smartly  done,  and  the 
competitors  showed  evidence  of  having  received  a careful 
training.  Eighteen  competitors  entered  for  the  Championship 
competition  which  was  held  on  the  last  day  of  the  Show,  and 
was  only  open  to  prize  winners  in  the  preceding  classes.  This 
competition  was  very  keenly  contested,  and  the  work  done  by 
the  different  competitors  was  up  to  a high  order  of  merit,  very 
few  marks  separating  the  highest  and  lowest.  The  work 
generally  was  smartly  and  neatly  done,  every  attention  being 
given  to  detail,  and  the  finished  product  was  of  excellent 
quality,  with  little  to  be  desired  in  the  way  of  appearance  and 
finish. 
Horse-shoeing. — The  quality  of  the  work  was  very  good, 
but  it  was  found,  as  at  Newcastle  last  year,  that  although 
special  attention  was  paid  to  shoe-making,  not  suflficient  care 
was  taken  in  many  instances  with  the  preparation  of  the  foot 
and  nailing  on. 
The  Society  were  most  cordially  received  by  the  County 
and  City,  and  visitors  to  the  Show  will  not  readily  forget  the 
kindness  of  the  Mayor,  who,  with  the  Mayoress  (Mrs.  James 
Bruton),  dispensed  the  most  generous  hospitality  in  their 
specially  erected  pavilion  in  the  Showyard. 
There  is  no  doubt  the  daily  downpour  of  rain  deterred 
many  intending  visitors  from  attending  the  Show,  and 
consequently  the  “ takings  ” at  the  gates  were  reduced,  so 
that,  for  the  first  time  since  the  return  to  the  country,  a 
small  deficit  on  the  Show  has  to  be  recorded.  Although 
the  financial  result  may  not  have  been  so  satisfactory 
as  could  have  been  desired,  there  was  a consensus  of  opinion 
that,  from  the  point  of  excellence,  the  Gloucester  Show  of 
1909  has  never  been  surpassed. 
Thos.  McRow. 
16  Bedford  Square, 
London,  W.C. 
