176 
The late Mr. H. M. Jenkins. 
often to be given to him and his family, when Mr. and Mrs. 
Jenkins on their journeys left their house in his charge. The 
various clerks and assistants whom he has trained and passed 
on to more responsible situations, speak of him with gratitude. 
Mr. H. J. Hine, Secretary of the Shorthorn Society ; Mr. J. 
Sloughgrove, Secretary of the Shire Horse Society ; Mr. W. C. 
Young, Secretary of the British Dairy Farmers' Association, 
who were trained and helped forward at Hanover Square ; and 
Mr. J. Gale, who has served as head clerk all along, and who 
represents now, more than any one, the permanent staff there, 
on whom, as we all know, the traditions and continuity of good 
management depend ; — each and all speak warmly of the regu- 
larity, simplicity, and facility of office work under direction of 
Mr. Jenkins. Systematic, prompt, and punctual, the business 
moved always without friction. To some of these gentlemen I 
am indebted for the very strong sense I have acquired of the 
services rendered by the Secretary to the various committees 
under which the immense volunteer work of the Society is 
carried on. It was no mere formal list of agenda that came 
before them monthly. One by one the several points to be 
discussed were almost always already on their way to a conclu- 
sion. And, whether directly, or by previous correspondence, or 
by interviews with the Chairman or with individual members, all 
the information on the subjects in hand, which the indefatigable 
Secretary had collected, was ready to be considered. An example 
ot efficiency of this kind may be mentioned now, although it 
belongs to the last year of his life. A Special Committee, 
presided over by Mr. Wells, were engaged in the consideration 
of the subject of tobacco-growing. The members, somewhat 
doubtful of the policy to be considered, were no doubt careful 
not to be misled by enthusiasts. The Secretary was in attend- 
ance ; and one who was present tells me that he, there and 
then, without help from memoranda — recalling his experience 
among tobacco-growers in Normandy, Belgium, and elsewhere, 
from memory alone — discussed the whole subject. The possi- 
bilities of home growth here, and the risks, successes, failures, 
methods and results elsewhere, were considered in succession, 
and illustrated by the examples with which his memory 
was stored ; and at the close Mr. Wells exclaimed, " All 
we needed was the presence of a shorthand writer, and we 
should have got just the article for the ' Journal ' which we 
need." The article in question — virtually a reproduction of an 
impromptu speech — was subsequently prepared and published. 
And I may say, once for all, that the same powers of memory, 
the same wealth of information thus illustrated, were similarly 
available at all other meetings. 
