The Dundee Courier provided a short account of some of the stands at the Highland Show of 1923. It is interesting to see what it focused on and included and what it did not. In this case, it referred to a small number of major companies as well as more local ones to the Dundee area. It also focused on labour saving devices, an important theme during the difficult years after the end of the First World War. This is what it thought was important at the Show:
“Round the Stands at the “Highland”
Labour-saving devices
Messrs A. Balloch & Sons, agricultural engineers, Leith (59), has an attractive turnout of agricultural machinery, including some patented exhibits. The firm is showing the new patent combined turnip and manure sower, which is a wonderful labour-saving device. They have also at the stand their famous scarifier and their disc turnip sower, along with a new, improved steam boiler plant for piggeries, dairies, and sheep dipping.
Messrs Wardrop & McGibbon, Glasgow, who are the agents for the Fernden Fencing Company (96), are exhibiting Fernden chestnut fencing and Vaughan’s roofing felts. There are other exhibits, including ok pale fencing, gates, hurdles, garden furniture &c. the specimens on exhibition are of the very best material, and the firm’s agents will very courteously receive all callers.
Insurance business is exceptionally well catered for at the Highland, and at Stand no. 142 the Warden insurance Co. Ltd., 218 Union Street, Aberdeen, have a courteous staff to attend to all classes of insurance transactions.
The fine reputation of Messrs H. W. Mathers & Sons, Perth, as implement makers is fully maintained at Stand No. 83, where the firm are making a feature of their patent self-propelled turnip-cutter.
Mr Charles Brand, Dundee, has at Stand 25, motion yard, a wide range of building equipment suitable for all manner of purposes on the farm. There are portable huts and garages of all sizes, steel buildings, engineers’ and joiners’ tools, corrugated iron, baths, sinks, boilers, wash tubs, timber of every description, doors, windows, wire netting &c. those having in view improvements on buildings or about the farm will find Mr Brand’s exhibits of the greatest interest.
Messrs David Ross & Sons, Appliance Works, Forres, in their display direct special attention to the Weecol house and shelter. Some shelter must be found for fowls in cold, rainy, windy weather, and the Weecol fills a gap that has been experienced by poultry-keepers. The floor is raised two feet from the ground, and the back wall and ends form an ideal shelter, where the birds can scratch or preen themselves. The house is made in various sizes. Another of the exhibits is the Chapelton house, now mounted on stout sledge runners. The Chapelton can be moved frequently, and obtains economy in feed by its easy movement to fresh ground.”
