Tlie Royal Agricultural Society of Evgland. 875 = 609 
ent engineers, who have at their command the most refined 
leans of testing every qualification which may be deemed an 
5sential element in the competition ; and every important detail 
1 the construction of the competing implements, and in the 
ature of the work performed by them, is described in the 
>ports published in the Society's 'Journal,' which are drawn up 
V qualified men, specially appointed for the purpose. 
It will have been seen that the Society's efforts to improve Eesumd. 
^ricultural machinery were in the first instance successful 
eyond the calculation of the most sanguine of its supporters, 
'hirty or forty years ago it was a difficult and expensive matter 
) travel long distances, and therefore such journeys were rarely 
odertaken for the purpose of investigating the merits of a farm- 
nplement. The Society's Country Meetings soon became recog- 
ised as a centre where the best implements could be examined, 
id their efficiency at work could be proved ; and thus it is 
isy to account for the rapid and extensive diffusion of improved 
achinery in those early days through their agency. With the 
ctension of the railway system and the coincident multiplication 
country and district Agricultural Shows, the Country Meetings 
the Royal Agricultural Society lost something of their general 
iterest, while they acquired a new and special importance 
tving to the classification of implements for trial, and the 
liform offer of medals and other rewards for new inventions, 
he trials made by the Society's officers have always been more 
:haustive than those made elsewhere, and of recent years have 
;quired the character of elaborate scientific investigations. One 
isult has been that the quality and efficiency of the standard 
nplements of the farm have approached more and more to a 
liform level, which has thus, for a time, rendered the Society's 
rther tests of them practically unnecessary. There remains, 
iwever, for the future a very large field in the encouragement 
the invention of labour-saving machinery generally, and 
irticularly in the development of a system of steam-cultivation 
hich shall be within the purchase-power of an occupier of 200 
• 300 acres. 
Live Stock. — The improvements which have been made in Exhibitions of 
le breeds of live stock since 1839 have been frequently de- Live Stock, 
xibed as the extension of excellence to a larger number of 
limals, rather than the further improvement of a few choice 
idividuals. This is doubtless a fair statement of the case with 
•ference to Shorthorns, and possibly one or two other standard 
reeds of cattle, and also with regard to Leicester and South- 
iwn sheep and horses, both agricultural and thoroughbred, 
rizes were won in 1839 with animals which would probably 
in prizes if they could be shown in the same condition at the 
