172 
The Newcastle Show, 1 908 . 
Dairy Cows and Milkers’ Competition. — The prizes for these 
classes were provided by the Northumberland Dairy and 
Tenant Farmers’ Association, and were competed for on the 
Thursday. The Judge found the Cows a good class, and in 
every way typical of what he would expect to find in a first- 
class showyard. The Heifers were disappointing both from 
the point of numbers and quality. Of the Mil/iers' Com- 
petition the Judge could not speak too highly, the women 
being especially good. 
Ploughing Competition.— The competitions promoted and 
carried out by the proprietors of the Newcastle Chronicle on 
behalf of the Society at the beginning of the year were a new 
and popular feature of the Society’s proceedings in connection 
with the Newcastle Show. 
For the purpose of creating widespread interest in these 
competitions the two northern counties were divided into six 
districts. Four of the preliminary competitions were held in the 
County of Northumberland at the following places : — Walbottle, 
to the west of Newcastle-on-Tyne ; Widdrington, near Mor- 
peth ; West Link Hall, near Christon Bank, and Heatherslaw, 
near Flodden Field. Two were held in the County of Durham 
— one at Chester-le-Street and the other at Bradbury, near 
Ferryhill. In these preliminary competitions there were two 
classes — one for swing ploughs and another for wheel or digger 
ploughs. One hundred and seventy-nine entered for the 
various competitions and only" three failed to take part in 
the contests. 
The first prize winners, in each class, at the sectional 
competitions (twelve in number) met in a final trial at Hips- 
burn, near Alnwick, on February 7, in a field kindly lent for 
the purpose by Sir Henry Scott. It was a beautiful day and 
the scene was an animated one by reason of the presence of 
thousands of spectators, many of whom had travelled long 
distances to be present, and whose keen interest in the work 
of the contestants was evidence of their appreciation of the 
splendid ploughing being done. The Judges had considerable 
difficulty in arriving at a decision owing to the exceptional 
merits of the competing ploughmen. It is worthy of note that 
the six divisional preliminary competitions arranged to take 
place within little more than one week were actually carried 
through, with one exception (owing to the frost), on the days 
fixed. 
Agricultural Education and Forestry. — These sections are 
treated in special reports (see pp. 205 to 212). 
Horticultural Exhibition. — This section of the Show was 
organised by the Durham, Northumberland and Newcastle 
Botanical and Horticultural Society, and, as on previous 
