The Glasgow Agricultural Society was a major agricultural association in Scotland from the mid nineteenth century onwards. Its show – an early one in the agricultural calendar – was a key part of the farming year and attracted considerable attention. It included an implement department which was seen as an important one rivalling those of Ayr and Dublin. It also held the usual displays of cattle and other livestock.
Because of the importance of the show it was widely reported in the press. Accounts were usually set out in some detail, and list the names of the key stand holders and the major features of their stands. They also provide some additional commentary on what was new and innovative (if anything).
Accounts from different newspapers provide a range of persoectives on the show. These are interesting for their different perspectives, but also on the points pf accordance where they highlight the same businesses and exhibits. These can be seen in accounts from the forty-fourth show of the Glasgow Agricultural Show in 1900:
“Glasgow Agricultural Society’s summer show (from Glasgow herald, 19 April 1900)
The annual show of stock promoted by the Glasgow Agricultural Society, which opens to-day on the new ground at Scotstoun, possesses features of peculiar interest. It is the first of the summer exhibitions which the society has held on their own property, and it is satisfactory that, so far as can be anticipated, the show promises to be one of the best held under the auspices of the society for a number of years. Since the opening of the Scotstoun ground in October much has been done to improve it, but more requires to be done before the scheme is completed.
Although not very large, the implement department is nevertheless interesting. For the accommodation of the machinery the eastern part of the grounds (to the right of the main entrance) has been set apart. Here there is on view, compactly arranged, a varied collection of the more practical kinds of machinery for the farm as well as the dairy. Of the 45 stands, the largest are in the hands of the two well-known Glasgow firms, Messrs John Wallace & Sons (Limited) and Messrs P. & R. Fleming & Co., both of Graham Square. The Messrs Wallace, as usual, have forward the most extensive collection on the ground. Their “City of Glasgow” and “Thistle” mowers and reapers are prominent exhibits. One of the latest productions of the firm is the “Universal” cultivator, which can be used for several purposes. It works effectively in hard land where a spring booth cultivator will not go deep enough. It is made of high-class carbon steel, which gives it great strength and stiffness, and all the wearing parts can be easily replaced. It can be employed as a cultivator only, and is arranged for grubbing three drills at once or for drilling up three drills at a time. The implement, it is claimed can grub or cultivate 10 to 11 acres or ridge up the same area in drills per day. The collection also includes many other labour-saving appliances. Messrs P. & R. Fleming likewise exhibit several novelties, such as a turnip slicer driven by a windmill, in addition to specimens which have been long popular in the market. The Dairy Supply Company have forward a collection of dairy appliances, including the “Alpha” separators, which were awarded first prize at the Maidstone show of the Royal Agricultural Society. Similar exhibits are shown by Mr John Gray, Stranraer, and Messrs Bamber & Co., Preston. The only Ayrshire exhibitors are Messrs Alexander Jack & Sons, Maybole, who have on view a selection of their specialities. General collections are also shown by Mr M. Dunlop, Glasgow; Wm W. Dickie, East Kilbride; and Messrs Ben Reid & Co., Aberdeen. The Uddingston plough makers – Mr George Gray and Mr Archibald Forrest – are well represented; while Messrs A. & J. Main, Edinburgh, show their “Ideal” binders and combined mowers and reapers. Lorries, vans, and other vehicles are displayed by Mr James Wales, Mr J. H. Kelly, Messrs John Hill & Sons, and Messrs Robert Mitchell & Son, all of Glasgow; and by Mr Joseph Atkinson, Leeds, and Mr Thomas Smith, Kilmarnock. Gas and oil engines are shown by the Campbell Company, Glasgow; Messrs George Davies & Co., Abergavenny; Messrs Crossley Brothers, Manchester; and Tangyes, Birmingham.”
“Glasgow Cattle Show (from The Scotsman, 19 April 1900)
The forty-fourth annual summer show, under the auspices of the Agricultural Society, opens to-day in the Society’s new grounds at Scotstoun. The grounds were used in October last for the stallion show, but only a limited number of the public then visited them, and the inauguration, so fat as the public are concerned, may be considered as taking place to-day. The Scotstoun showfield is in convenient communication with the city, both by rail and car, and the highly suitable formation of the grounds, as well as the way in which they have been equipped with permanent structures, should have a considerable effect in popularising the show.
The implements will be found in the east side of the showfield, and the collection is one of very considerable interest. Mr John Wallace & Sons (Limited), have again a large stand of improved implements, which include their well-known “City of Glasgow” mower and reaper, the new “Universal” cultivator, which grubs three drills at once; “Thistle” mowers and reapers, “Massey-Harris” two-horse light steel binders, and other machinery. Messrs A. & J. Main & Co. (Limited), Edinburgh, show new “Ideal” binders and combined mowers and reapers of the same make. Messrs P. & R. Fleming & Co., Glasgow, have on view a large selection of minor utensils, with a specially interesting exhibit in the form of a turnip slicer, driven by a windmill attached. Their selection also includes a hay swath turner of new construction. The Dairy Supply Company (Limited) send from their Edinburgh branch a large collection of improved dairy utensils, amongst which special attention will be attracted by their “Alpha” pony steam turbine and hand power separators, with sight feed arrangement, which gained first prizes at the Royal Show at Maidstone last year, and which are quite a recent invention. Messrs Jack & Sons, Maybole, show “Milwaukee” harvesters and binders, “Caledonian” potato raisers, and numerous other exhibits. Mr Matthew Dunlop, Glasgow, is represented with a large display of patent self-acting horse rakes &c. Mr Robertson, Glasgow, usually an exhibitor in the implement section, does not show this year in view of his extension in his coach-building premises at 412 St Vincent Street. Various English firms of implement makers are represented.”
“Glasgow Agricultural Society (from North British daily mail, 19 April 1900)
Opening of show to-day
Although the new permanent grounds of the Glasgow Agricultural Society have already once been the venue of a public exhibition, this year’s “summer show”, which commences to-day, will mark the inauguration of Scotstoun grounds so far as the bulk of agriculturists and the general public are concerned.
The agricultural implements displayed do not look so numerous as in past years when exhibited on the slopes of Queen’s Park. Among the exhibitors there is some grumbling on two grounds. They complain that the Glasgow, Dublin, and Ayr shows run too closely together to give makers and exhibitors from a distance opportunity to show as they would like, and Glasgow firms say that it is more expensive training their goods to Scotstoun and then carting on to the field than carting all the way as in years past. Messrs John Wallace & Sons, Graham Square, although now exhibiting at Dublin, and busy dispatching implements for the Ayr Show on Tuesday, hold the largest stance on the field. Again this firm have in the forefront their famed “Thistle” mower and reapers, also the “City” reapers, of which they have sold hundreds of late years. They are capital for hilly lands. They show also a couple of Massey-Harris two-horse steel binders. Their combined drill and broadcast manure sower, with double wheels, will prove attractive; and Messrs Wallace make a speciality of the “Universal” cultivator, which is invaluable in the case of hard land where the spring tooth cultivator fails to go sufficiently deep. The machine for grubbing three drills at once is guaranteed to ridge up about eleven acres in drills per day. The stand is altogether of an interesting character, including as it does a large variety of implements and useful for large and small firms. Messrs P. & R. Fleming & Co., at stand 14 have on view varieties of the reliable Ransome ploughs, horse rakes, potato diggers, and so forth; also a Wood harvester and binder, to which has been applied several improvements. A feature of the firm is the turnip slicer driven by windmill. They also exhibit useful and handy grinding mills by “Bamford” land rollers, and a chaff cutter, with hinged flywheel and feeding web. A. & J. Main & Co., Edinburgh, now well-known exhibitors in the West show a handsome Deering “Ideal” binder fitted with roller and ball bearings in main gear, crank shaft, and elevator intermediate bearings, grain divider, wheel fitted with roller bearings, and also with steel balls at both sides of hub, and their other exhibits include an “Ideal” combined mower and reaper, a steel tooth cultivator, and cream separators of various sizes. Mr Matthew Dunlop, of Graham Square, has on view a large selection of implements of their own make, besides samples of machines and implements for which he is agent. An exceptionally large display of ploughs, corn crushers, and binders is made by the well-known Ayrshire makers, Messrs Alexander Jack & Son, Maybole. The Dairy Supply Company Ltd, have come from Edinburgh, with an interesting assortment of coolers, churns, and dairy requisites. They also show the “Alpha” pony steam turbine separator to work at the rate of about 150 gallons per hour. This valuable separator has of late been greatly improved. The company secured first prize at the Royal Show at Maidstone for those admirable requisites. George Gray & Co., Uddingston, show a variety of ploughs with steel mouldboards. The leading coachmakers in the city are not this year, as had been the case for some time, represented at the show, being apparently contented to get up private views of their own at headquarters.”
