Report of Society's Meetings. 411 



obtain coffee of good colour, perfe6lly cleaned and even in size of bean, 

 especially avoiding the presence of broken beans, 



2. Coffee, Liberian (cleaned) .—^N ^ cannot accord to this the same 

 praise as to the exhibit of Creole coffee, The sample to which the first 

 prize was given was distinftly the best shown, but all were inferior to 

 samples we have previously examined of this produft. 



8. Cocoa Beans, (cured). — This class of exhibits was distinctly inferior 

 to the similar exhibits in the Show of 1895. In that Show the first prize 

 was given to an exhibit of fairly cleaned regular sized beans, having a 

 fair break, but somewhat dark in colour. The second prize-sample 

 closely approached the first in quality and we had some little difficulty 

 in making an award between them. We are inclined to ascribe the 

 falling off in general quality of this class of exhibits to weather conditions, 

 unfavourable for the produftion of fine full sized beans. 



4. Kola. — Three exhibitors only competed. Two which received 

 prizes, sent samples of good colour, well dried, and of fair size. The 

 third, although undoubtedly the finest sample as regards size of the nut, 

 unfortunately had been spoilt in colour during curing. 



5. Rice. — No difficulty arose in adjudicating the first prize in this 

 class. The highest awaid went to an excellent sample of cleaned rice 

 good in colour, large, and even in grain, and containing but few broken 

 grains. There was more difficulty in awarding the second prize, which 

 was finally given to a sample of rice large and fairly even in grain, but 

 of slightly inferior colour. Several good samples sent were disqualified 

 from insufficiency of amount exhibited. In future exhibitions, we trust 

 that more prizes than two will be offered for this very important produft. 

 We noticed several preparations of rice which were exhibited and 

 regretted that it was not in our power to give small awards for the same. 



6. Cornmeal. — A most difficult class to judge. The exhibits as a rule 

 were of high merit, and we awarded the prizes to the exhibits of bright 

 coloured well prepared meal, the relative merit of the two being prafti- 

 cally determined by brightness of colour. 



7. Plantain Meal. — An almost bewildering mass of exhibits were 

 shown under this head, the majority of which showed the objectionable 

 greyness so common in samples of this produ6l. The prizes were 

 awarded to two samples of almost equal merit, on both of which the 

 greyness was conspicuous by its absence, the meals being of an inviting 

 pale cream colour. Both were of good flavour, the one receiving the 

 first prize being somewhat more regular in texture. If meals of such 



