THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 51 



gentlemen of the country, and they are desired to give 

 him a fair opportunity of showing his skill." 



The Society also printed recipes for sheep-rot, and 

 recommended The Country Gentleman and Shepherd's 

 Sure Guide, by William Ellis, Gaddesden, Hertford- 

 shire, then being printed by George Faulkner. 



From its start, the Society ever evinced a warm 

 interest in the question of employment for the people, 

 and on the 29th of July 1749 was printed on its 

 behalf a list of commodities imported into Ireland, 

 consisting of such kinds as might be raised or manu- 

 factured in the country, as rated at the Custom House, 

 taken at an average for the three years 1744-46. It 

 was designed to show how much might be done at 

 home which would afford employment. 



Another notice appeared on the 9th of December, 

 which advocated a method of feeding calves with a 

 mixture of hay water and a little milk, whereby four 

 or five calves might be reared in one season with the 

 milk of one cow only; and on the 8th of May 1750 

 the Society communicated to the public a letter on a 

 method of transplanting rape. 



