538 
The Pit/mouth Meeting. 
ing against the sky, the 'wonderful structure from wkicr 
night after night, are poured forth the warning beams of th 
Eddystone Light. The beautifully wooded slopes of Moun 
Edgcumbe, rising abruptly from the water's edge, bounded th 
vista on the right, and farther away to the west rose th 
Cornish Heights ; to the north stretched the undulating gree: 
fields which become lost in the granite wilds of Dartmoor 
eastward were the fertile pastures of the South Hams ; whils 
close at foot, bordering the Sound, could be seen the famou 
Hoe whereon Drake, three hundred years ago, was playinj 
his historic game of bowls when the news of the approach c 
the Spanish Armada reached the English shore. 
With its lines thus cast in pleasant places, the fifty-firs 
Annual Exhibition of the lloyal Agricultural Society c 
England opened under auspicious circumstances. It was th 
privilege of but few of the visitors to have personal recollec 
tion of the former Show of 1865, though there were at leas 
five active participators in the first Plymouth Meeting whi 
were also present at the second. These were Sir Masse; 
Lopes, Bart., then, as now, Chairman of the Local Committee 
Mr. John Dent Dent, who, in 1865, officiated as Senior Stewarc 
of Live Stock ; Earl Cathcart, who acted at the former Meeting 
as one of the Stewards of Implements ; Sir Jacob Wilson, who 
first elected on the Council in 1865, undertook office also ai 
one of the Judges of Implements that year; and Mr. Charle: 
Norrington, who as Mayor in 1865, and as Local Treasurer ii 
1890, rendered the Society on both occasions most valuable anc 
willing service. 
Prizes axd Entries. 
It is the invariable practice of the Society at its Countn 
Meetings to institute special classes for local breeds of live stock 
AVhilst, therefore, what may be regarded as the main staples o 
the English breeds are annually brought into competition 
opportunities are afforded in one locality and another o 
stimulating progress in the development of breeds which havt 
become more or less exclusively identified with certain districts 
Amongst the sections which were thus brought into prominenci 
at Plymouth may be mentioned the Dartmoor and Exmoo 
ponies, the South Hams cattle and sheep, the Dartmoor anc 
Ex moor sheep and Devon Long-wools, to which may be addei 
black pigs. 
It- is possible to institute an instructive comparison betwtvi 
the two Plymouth Meetings by detailing bide by side 
