NORTH-EAST AGRICULTURAL ASSOCL\TION. 199 



useful knowledge connected with agriculture. These, while primary objects 

 in the extension of agricultural improvement, did not embrace all that was 

 requisite to carry out the purposes of the Association. The committee, 

 therefore, decided to offer premiums for such objects as might, from time to 

 time, appear best calculated to improve the manufacture of agricultural im- 

 plements, the breeds of stock, and the general husbandry of the country, and 

 they considered it would be desirable to offer prizes for the best managed 

 farms. To carry this into effect, each county was divided into three districts,, 

 as nearly as possible of equal extent ; and as the best defined boundaries, 

 the baronial divisions were selected, grouping together those that were con- 

 tiguous to each other. The competitions in each district were divided into 

 two sections— one for holdings containing above forty statute acres, and 

 another for holdings containing not more than forty statute acres ; to each 

 section there was allocated three premiums. These competitions were 

 carried on from 1857 to 1867, but at no period did they come up to the 

 expectation formed at their institution, the entries having been much more 

 limited than might reasonably have been expected. 



In 1857 the committee called attention to the desirability of having a 

 uniformity of weights and measures for the sale of agricultural produce 

 throughout the United Kingdom. A report was submitted, showing the 

 variety of systems in use in a number of the principal centres and towns in 

 England, Ireland, and Scotland. This report was printed and circulated 

 amongst the members of the Society, and sent to the Grand Juries, Corpo- 

 rations, and other municipal bodies in Ireland, several of whom signified' 

 their approval of the movement, and steps were taken to bring the subject 

 before Parliament. The principle recommended by the Association was,. 

 " That all agricultural produce should be sold by weight alone, irrespective 

 of measure, and that it would be desirable to abolish the system of barrels." 

 In 1 861 a Bill for the Regulation of Markets and Fairs was brought before 

 Parliament by the Chief Secretary (Mr. Cardwell), which, however, did not 

 contain any provision for the regulation of weights and measures. The 

 Association appointed a special sub-committee to consider the clauses of 

 the Bill, and a report was issued, a copy of which was sent to every Member 

 of Parliament for Ireland, and a request made for their co-operation in 

 obtaining the introduction of clauses into the Bill with regard to weights 

 and measures. No enactment, however, was passed during that Session. 

 In 1862 the Chief Secretary for Ireland (Sir Robert Peel) introduced a Bill 

 for the Regulation of Markets and Fairs, which was subsequently with- 

 drawn, and introduced a Bill for the Regulation of Weights and Measures, 

 the clauses of which were not merely in accordance with the principle con- 

 tended for, but were in many cases couched in the very language in which 

 the views of the Association were brought under the notice of the Govern- 

 ment. This Act having been passed through Parliament, is now the law of 

 the land, and thus the many years' labour of the Association were finally 

 crowned with success. 



The dissolution in 1859 of the Royal Flax Improvement Society had left 

 Ulster without any established body to stimulate the growth of this valu- 

 able crop, and consequently loud complaints had been made by farmers in 

 various places. A special committee, consisting of Messrs. Jonathan Rich- 

 ardson, Glenmore, Lisbum ; William Charley, J.P., Seymour Hill, Dun- 

 murry ; and John Borthwick, Prospect, Carrickfergus, were appointed and 



