234 A HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER XV 



GENERAL HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY (continued) 

 (1815-1836) 



FOR some years prior to the Society's removal to 

 Leinster House, the printed Proceedings were much 

 fuller than formerly, and a greater volume of business 

 seems to have been transacted at the meetings. The 

 members began to take fresh interest in agriculture, the 

 Society's chief original object, which they had more 

 or less neglected since the foundation of the Farming 

 Society. Numerous other subjects had attracted atten- 

 tion during the Hawkins street regime, but now when 

 it was found that the Farming Society's operations 

 were not as satisfactory as had been hoped, and its 

 financial position and membership not flourishing, the 

 subject of husbandry was again taken up. Possibly 

 the Society's hand was forced, as extreme depression in 

 that industry prevailed. Early in 1816, it was referred 

 to a special committee to enquire into the embarrassed 

 situation of the agricultural interest of Ireland, so as to 

 enable the Society to submit to the Government infor- 

 mation which might distinguish causes of continued 

 depression from merely temporary ones. They wished 

 to be able to contrast the demands necessary for the 

 supply of the home market at present with periods 

 anterior to the late war ; also to look into the state of 

 the British market, and the probable operation of the 

 Corn Laws on this country, so as to ascertain, if 



