Report 071 the Exhibition at Birmingham. 
540 
expenditure of a large sum of money to accomplish it. But 
" where there's a will there's a way," and so it came to pass that 
the Royal Agricultural Society's Exhibition for 1876 was held 
on a ground equal, if not superior, to any former site. Only 
those who knew the ground before it was taken in hand could 
appreciate the work that was accomplished. And when the 
work was done, and the ground occupied for the purposes for 
which it was designed, the scene that presented itself to the 
pectator looking down from the terrace of Aston Hall was most 
striking, and will be long remembered. The irregular shape 
of the ground, though in some respects not quite so convenient 
for arrangement, added to the picturesque effect ; and this, too, 
M as heightened by the presence of a sheet of water, along the 
inargin of which were erected the various structures more par- 
ticularly belonging to the Horticultural department. Here and 
there, at the lower end of the Park, were some grand old elm- 
trees, which did good service in the way of pleasant shade ; and 
so there was presented a charming combination of wood, water, 
and undulating ground, the like of which was never before 
presented by a Show-ground of the Royal Agricultural Society 
and probably never will be again. 
But all this involved a heavy expenditure, and from first to 
last there was laid out on the ground about 4500/., a consider- 
able portion of this being spent in the purchase of land on 
which to construct railway sidings that were absolutely necessary 
for the convenient delivery and removal of animals and machinery. 
This land has since been sold to the adjoining Railway Company 
without loss ; but the fact remains that the very substantial 
sum of more than 8000/. was raised locally for the general pur- 
poses of the Show. 
With such spirited local effort in the way of preparation, it 
might readily be expected that the Show itself would be a suc- 
cess, and so indeed it proved, as has been already stated at the 
outset. The official Report, which will follow this introduction, 
supplies full particulars as to the details of the Show. May it 
be the happy lot of future chroniclers to have such materials to 
work upon. 
But I must not close without an acknowledgment of the 
courteous hospitality shown to the Council of the Society by 
the ^Mayor of Birmingham, and also by Mr. Alderman Biggs ; 
and I would, on behalf of my colleagues and myself, express 
our warm thanks for their magnificent entertainments. The 
i'iimily portraits of the Holts looked down on us as we dined in 
the long oak-panelled gallery of Aston Hall, and one could not 
but reflect on the vast progress made in scientific agriculture 
since the time when, from the terraces of their grand old Tudor 
home, they looked out on the beautifully-wooded landscape, 
VOL. xn.— s. s. 2 o 
