Report of Society's Meetings. 407 



direftion of the Committee of Correspondence to forward the following 

 which has been unavoidably delayed. 



I have, &c., 



J. J. QUELCH, 



Hon. Secretary. 



REPORT ON THE HORTICULTURAL SHOW, 1896. 



The Committee are glad to report that the Horticultural and Poultry 

 Show, 1896, was more successful than any previous one, and tends to 

 prove that the efforts of the Society have been produftive of good 

 among the very class aimed at. The new departure of reserving special 

 classes for competition solely among the artisans and labourers, and at 

 the same time giving them the chance of competing in all other sec- 

 tions, has been a very popular one, — the artisan seftions being largely 

 patronised, while a keen competition from the same classes took place 

 throughout the whole exhibition. 



The special efforts, by means of addresses, that had been made by 

 certain members of the Committee, and more especially by the Chairman 

 and Secretary, to make known and to popularise the objefts and advan- 

 tages of the Show, chiefly in the country districts, resulted in a con- 

 siderable addition to the list of exhibitors ; but perhaps the most 

 beneficial result has been the permanent interest aroused in many of 

 the more influential persons in the various distrifts, who, by the for- 

 mation of local Committees, did much to secure the success of the 

 Show. 



The special exhibits from the village districts thus formed a distinc- 

 tive feature of the Exhibition of 1896; and the villages of Golden 

 Grove, Viftoria, Ann's Grove, Buxton, Friendship, and Canals No. I 

 and No. 2 are particularly worthy of mention in this connection. Exhi- 

 tors from many of the country distrifts were greatly assisted through 

 the kindness of the Direflors of the Railway, and of the Sproston Dock 

 and Foundry Company, who gave free paSses for exhibits to and from 

 Georgetown, while the Committee undertook the necessary cartage and 

 porterage. 



A comparison of the number of exhibits under the various classes in 

 the Exhibitions 1893-1896, illustrates very clearly the enormous advance 

 made in the Show of 1896, as may be seen from the following table ;— 



3F 



