THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 63 



Premiums now began to be offered for such articles 

 of domestic consumption as blackberry, currant, elder- 

 berry, and gooseberry wine. 



Dr. Madden by no means restricted his bounty in 

 the manner indicated in his original plan, and he is 

 found offering 20 for the best stallion imported in 

 1 744, which was won by Thomas Place, Barrack street. 

 The horse cost ^57, 15 s. 12 were awarded to Edward 

 Sims for bulls and heifers. 



In the various objects of the bounty of the Society, 

 nothing that might tend to the welfare of the com- 

 munity appears to have been forgotten, and the housing 

 question was even then acute. In May 1745, plans for 

 building houses with two to eight rooms on a floor 

 were examined, with the assistance of Mr. Castle, the 

 eminent architect, when the prize was awarded to 

 George Ensor, clerk in a surveyor's office. 



Hats were the subject of further competition, and 

 Thomas Champion, of Meath street, won 6 ; second 

 place was given to Mr. Parvisol, Skinner's row, and 

 third to Mr. Boyton. Even the killing of rats was not 

 deemed beneath the notice of the Society, and Michael 

 Nedley was awarded a prize for having killed 1300. 

 On 3Oth May 1745, the city of Kilkenny was given 

 ^10 for having cleared itself of beggars by affording 

 employment to the poor. About 100 of the poor 

 were supplied with work, they being usefully employed 

 in cleansing the streets. It is refreshing to read of a 

 community which in the middle of the eighteenth 

 century had such enlightened views on employment, 

 and on keeping a town clean. 



Nearly five pages of the minute book are occu- 

 pied with particulars as to the premiums agreed on 

 for the current year. They include prizes for sowing 

 land, reclaiming, manuring, planting trees, grass, broad 



