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THE First Two YEARS OF THE “SOCIETY.” 217 
was well provided for from the very first. Several dona- 
tions from the Governor and others in the first: few 
months of its existence went to form the nucleus of a 
Library and Museum. Among the first of these were 
SCHOMBURGK’S “‘ Views”’ and “‘ Description,” from the 
author, together with his colle€tion of native woods. 
The Society’s labours during the first year of its existence 
were perhaps of more importance than those of any single 
year afterwards. Its officers were very energetic and its 
able Secretary must have done an enormous amount of 
work. Among the Agricultural matters considered were ; 
ploughing, covered drains, applying the power of savannah 
water to effe€tuate drainage, steam cultivation, soils, 
manufaéturing of sugar, hydraulic and other presses, steam 
engines, second pressing of megass, maceration, and boil- 
ing bysteam. Commerce was assisted by registers detail- 
ing imports and exports, and arrivals and departures of 
vessels, with their cargoes, which statistics had hitherto 
not been available by the public. Then there were 
local matters such as the journal of the Postholder 
of Essequebo in an excursion to the source of the 
Macouria creek to discover a means of communi- 
cation between Demerara and Essequebo, communications 
in regard to pasture grasses, and a paper on the Spigelia 
or Pink Root by Dr. BONYUN. 
In the report laid over at the first anniversary meeting, 
the General Committee said that the Society had been 
such a short time in active operation that it was scarcely 
to be expected that they could give much information 
as to the practical results of the several experi- 
ments then in progress. The Society might, however, 
take some credit for having given a stimulus to 
