486 TiMEHRI. 
bits, more especially in the classes of Fruits, Vegetables 
and Economic Produéts. The artisan exhibitors not 
only took full advantage of the sections reserved for 
them, but contributed the great bulk of the exhibits in 
the open seétions, and carried off the greater number of | 
prizes. The Society thus has the satisfa€tion of know- 
ing that these Shows are benefiting the very class aimed 
at, and that year by year a wider interest is being aroused 
among the people. The addresses given by various. 
members of the Committee in the village distri€ts, to 
make known the obje€ts, and to explain the various con- 
ditions of the Show, have tended largely to popularise 
it, and its advantages are being more clearly recognised. 
It is worthy of remark that a very large proportion of 
the exhibits came from the West Bank, Demerara, 
the villages along Canals No. 1 and No. 2, Stanley 
Town, and Bagotville, and Good Intent and Sisters, 
being far ahead of any others in the Colony. The 
East Bank, and the East Coast, Demerara, particularly 
Golden Grove and Buxton, were also fairly represented. 
It is to be regretted, however, that many large distriéts: 
within convenient reach of town were almost entirely 
unrepresented, in spite of the facilities so kindly given 
by the Directors of the railway and the Sproston Dock 
and Foundry Company, in the free carriage of exhibits 
to and from all their stations. 
It is pleasing to note that the great increase in the, 
number of exhibits shewn in 1896 has been well main- 
tained in 1897. A comparison of the returns for the five 
years 1893-1897, in the various classes, very clearly illus- 
trates the growth of the Shows, as may be seen from the 
following table ; 
