130 Years Ago Sussex Agricultural Express 30 March 1894

FLETCHING. CORN, ROOT, HOP, AND BUTTER SHOW
The annual general meeting of this association was held at the Sheffield Arms, Fletching, on Wednesday evening, when there were present Mr. T. Colgate (in the chair), Mr. M. Sandford, Mr. John Martin, Mr. A. Tidy, Mr. E. Slade, Mr. A. Harris, Mr. E. J. Markwick, Mr. A. Best, Mr. R. Welfare, Mr. J. B. Dier, Mr. T. Chatfield, Mr. Jas. Wood, Mr. D. Booth, Mr. G. Fenner (secretary), and others.

Letters of apology were received from Mr. Jos. Martin,
Mr. R. Kenward, and Mr. W. G. Ansell.

The Secretary then read the balance-sheet, which shows the subscriptions already received amount to £51 4s.6d.; this amount, with the balance in hand from 1892 show and the money received from the sale of roots at the show held last October, makes total amount of receipts, £72 14s. The amount expended amounts to £59 6s. 2d., leaving balance in hand of £l3 Bs. 7d. The Secretary reported that the show had been steadily increasing both as regards funds and entries since 1888.

The balance sheet was then adopted.

Mr. Colgate proposed, and it was unanimously agreed, that Mr. Fenner be re-elected secretary for the ensuing year.
Mr. Thomas Colgate was re-elected chairman and treasurer, and the following members of the committee were re elected: Mr. Lewis Baker, Mr. Thos. Cbatfield, Mr. M. K. Dixon,
Mr. F. H. Head, Mr. H. E. T. Hickmott, Mr. Robt. Kenward,
Mr. Jos. Martin, Mr. Frank Martin, Mr. Samuel Piper,
Mr. M. Sandford, Mr. Albert Turner, Mr. A. Tidy, Mr. F. Wood,
Mr. Simeon Wickens, and Mr. H. K. Walls.

The Secretary was requested to write to those gentlemen of the committee who did not attend any of the committee meetings held last year to ask them if they would serve on the 1894 committee.

Mr. H. Ridley, Mr. M. B. Dier, and Mr. Alfred Harris were added to the above list.

On the motion of Mr. Colgate, the following stewards were re-elected:

Mr. B. Dier, Mr. F. H. Head, Mr. Robert Kenward, Mr. Joseph Martin, Mr. Frank Martin, and Mr. Alfred Tidy, with the addition of Mr. Lewis Baker and Mr. E. J. Markwick.

Mr. Fenner proposed, and it was unanimonsly agreed, that
Mr. E. J. Markwick be re-elected as auditor.

A slight alteration was made in rule 3 of the rules of the show, which now reads thus : “ The swedes, turnips, or mangolds shown to be taken from a piece of land of not less than one acre (of each sort), and any other specimens from not less than half an acre, and the land from which such specimens are taken shall be cultivated and manured alike.”

Rule 2 was also altered; it now stands as follows: “All exhibits to be sold by auction two o’clock on the day of the show, the proceeds of the sale to go to the funds of the show, but no exhibit to be removed from its place before four o’clock p.m.’’

The next business on the agenda was the consideration of the prize list. It was unanimously agreed that four prizes be given for globe mangolds, long red mangolds, tankard

mangolds, and swedes, the amounts to be £1 10s., £1, 10s., and 5s. Three prizes will be given in the class for white, red, or green round turnips, viz., £l, 10s., and 5s. Two prizes will be given in the Scotch hybrid class, £1 and 10s.; also two prizes in the class for field carrots, 15s. and 7s. 6d. Four prizes, £1, 15s., 10s., and 5s., are to be given in the cabbage (for cattle) class. An alteration was made in the potato class. Four prizes, 15e., 10s., 7s. 6d., and 5s., will be given for the six best white kidney, and the same amounts for six best white round potatoes. The following two classes were added, in which the prizes will be 7s. 6d., 5s., , and 2s. 6d., for the best six coloured kidney and the best six coloured round potatoes. The other prizes for garden produce, also the prizes for corn, butter, and hops, remain the same as last year.

Messrs. William Wood and Sons, of the Woodlands Nurseries, Maresfield, will discontinue their special prizes.

It was decided that the sweepstakes for mangolds and swedes should be the same as last year, and that the entrance fee be the same, and that those who wish to join it shall send in their names to the Secretary before May Ist, 1894.

1t was then decided that the show be held at the Sheffield Arms on Wednesday, Oct. 24th.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.