CHAPTER VIII. 



FIRST GENERAL SHOW, 1822. 



While the Society was carrying on the operations noticed 

 in the preceding chapters, the membership was steadily 

 on the increase. In 1787 the members numbered 160. 

 In 1799, ten years after the district competitions were 

 begun, the membership had advanced to 500. Four years 

 later it rose to 750 ; while in 1807 it reached 925. In 1816, 

 just after the close of the great war, the membership had 

 advanced to 1109. The return of peace was followed by 

 great agricultural depression, aggravated temporarily by the 

 necessary return to specie payments. Still the Society 

 made advance ; and in 1821 its membership reached 12 12. 

 In the year just mentioned the Society adopted a reso- 

 lution which proved to be the first step in an important 

 series. In 18 12 the Society had had before it a proposition 

 for holding annual shows in Edinburgh ; but the proposal 

 was not then entertained. This resolution, which was put 

 aside in 181 2, was accepted at the stage at which we have 

 now arrived. At a meeting of Directors, held on the 13th 

 of November 1821, there was laid before the Board a letter 

 from Mr Rennie, yr. of Phantassie, soliciting the attention 

 of the Society to the propriety of establishing an annual 

 show at Edinburgh for the Exhibition of Fat Stock on 

 something of the same principle as that of the Smithfield 

 Club. Mr Rennie recommended that, as many of the mem- 

 bers of the Society were in town about Christmas, it might 

 be expedient, should the suggestion be approved of, to fix 

 the show about that season of the year, so that amateurs 

 might have an opportunity of seeing the excellent stock 

 likely to be produced. After hearing the opinions of several 

 members, the Directors resolved that the suggestion was 



