THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 253 



2, For the best account of the state of husbandry in 

 Connaught, in the districts afflicted with famine in 

 1 83 1, and for suggestions as to practical means of 

 improvement. 3, For best proposal for laying down 

 ground to permanent pasture. 4, For schemes for 

 allotting to the greatest number of cottages a quantity 

 of land not less than one acre, Irish. 6, For the best 

 account of actual experience of the quantity of land 

 required to support a labourer's family with vegetables 

 and potatoes, and to enable him to keep a pig and 

 cow all the year. 7, For best method of fattening 

 cattle. 8, For rearing poultry; and 9, converting peat 

 into fuel. The Society's gold medal for erection of 

 the greatest number of cottages and allocation of land 

 to them was won by Lieutenant-Colonel Close, of 

 Drumbanagher ; and a prize essay by Mr. W. Blacker 

 on the management of landed property in Ireland is 

 printed as an appendix to Proceedings, vol. lxx. 



In 1833 a committee was appointed to report on a 

 proposed establishment, under the Society's auspices, 

 of a yearly exhibition of specimens of the manufac- 

 tures and products of Ireland, and it was also pro- 

 posed to form a General Agricultural Association of 

 Ireland. 



The committee of agriculture, in 1835, reported 

 that since the Royal Dublin Society had shown an in- 

 clination to resume her part in agriculture and hus- 

 bandry, five times as many members had been enrolled. 

 They now particularly v/ished to collect information 

 as to the mode of agriculture pursued by the peasantry 

 and the best means of improving it, to urge local 

 societies to communicate with them, to establish 

 museums of seeds, models, and machinery, and to 

 elect a professor of agriculture to deliver lectures. 



