222 A HISTORY OF 



purchasing scarce and valuable books and works of 

 art for the Society's collections. 



For almost half a century Farming Societies had 

 been established in various parts of the country, all 

 more or less in correspondence with the Dublin Society, 

 and looking up to it for help and guidance. In the 

 year 1755, a resolution as to their formation had been 

 passed, and societies were founded in the counties of 

 Antrim, Kildare, and Louth, as well as in other places. 

 In 1784, an advertisement was ordered to be inserted in 

 the Dublin Journal and Evening Post, that the Dublin 

 Society desired the farming societies in the various 

 counties to convey such information on the subject of 

 agriculture as might be considered useful. Later are 

 mentioned societies in Mayo, Roscommon, and Ferman- 

 agh, and in 1799 one was established in the county Clare, 

 for agriculture, manufactures, fisheries, and for breeding 

 cattle. Early in 1800 was started, by the Marquis of 

 Sligo and the Right Hon. John Foster, a General Farming 

 Society, which elected the vice-presidents of the Dublin 

 Society and the members of its committee of agri- 

 culture as honorary members. This new body agreed 

 to be called the Farming Society, " under the patronage 

 of the Dublin Society," and its committee of fifteen 

 members had permission to meet in the repository in 

 Hawkins street until accommodation was provided else- 

 where. It received a State grant of ^5000 per annum, 

 and concerned itself almost entirely with the practical side 

 of agriculture to the exclusion of the theoretical, which 

 so much occupied the attention of the Dublin Society. 

 The Farming Society sought to improve the breed of 

 cattle, and cattle shows were held under its auspices. 

 In imitation of the Dublin Society's old plan, it revived 

 the practice of sending an itinerant instructor to country 



