Report of Society's Meetings. 155 



Society had been extended, it had also been kept alive 

 and vigorous as they saw it to-day. He would refer 

 briefly, first, to the earlier work of the Society, then to 

 its position with regard to agriculture, and finally to the 

 programme for the present year. 



This would be a notable year in the Society's history, 

 as it was established in 1844 and was therefore entering 

 upon the jubilee of its existence. Any one who would 

 glance through its proceedings for these fifty years could 

 not fail to be struck by the immense amount of valuable 

 and useful work which had been done. The first Presi- 

 dent was that well-known and esteemed colonist. Sir 

 Michael McTurk, and in the list of his successors would 

 be found the names of gentlemen who took the deepest in- 

 terest in the welfare of the colony, and who also had done 

 their share in forming its history and shaping its destiny. 

 The Society had the title of " Royal" given to it by 

 sanation of the Queen in 1845. During its first two 

 years it showed great vitality — papers were read and 

 discussions held on many agricultural and allied subje6ls, 

 such as the cultivation of land by steam power and by 

 manual labour, thorough drainage by covered drains, 

 analyses of the soil, extra6tion of cane-juice by macera- 

 tion, the development of suitable fodder grasses, cane 

 and plantain diseases, new and improved machinery for 

 sugar manufa6lurc, and a great many other interesting 

 subje6ls. Some of these papers were so useful as to be 

 well worth re-publication at the present time. In 1844 

 the Society decided to hold an exhibition and applied to 

 the Government for $3,000 to be offered as premiums 

 for the best exhibits of stock, agricultural produce, &c., 

 but unfortunately this amount was not granted, yet it 



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