1 
The Royal Agricultural Society of England. 879 = 613 
distinction beings at the same time drawn between the sires and 
ims suitable for breeding Hunters and Hackneys respectively, 
t Battersea, as already stated, there was a great advance, 
icluding the recognition of the Suffolk as a distinct breed of 
)rse, and ever since that Show a similar prize-sheet has been 
sued, varying chiefly in details rendered desirable by the 
'Ographical position or other circumstances of the locality in 
hich the Show was to be held. 
Farm Pr izcs. — The efforts of the Society to improve the agri- Farm Piizes. 
ilture of the district in which the Country Meeting is held in 
ly year, were extended, in 1870, by the offer of prizes for the 
!st managed farms in the district or county. Public attention 
by this means drawn to those farms which may be entered 
r competition. Farmers living in their neighbourhood follow 
e course of cultivation on them through the year of trial with 
eat interest, and discuss with one another the respective 
lances of the competitors. Those who have not the advantage 
neighbourhood content themselves with a personal visit to 
e winning farms at the time of the Show, or with reading 
e generally exhaustive reports of the Judges, which are pub- 
shed in the Society's ' Journal.' 
The definition of the class or classes of farms which are 
ititled to compete varies from year to year in accordance with 
e variations in the methods and styles of farming which 
e characteristic of the several counties of England. In 1870, Originated at 
e first year of these competitions, the farms entered were 
quired to be not less than 200 acres in extent, as the Country " ' 
[eetinsT was held at Oxford, in the midst of a district of 
rge arable farms. The prizes consisted of a handsome silver 
ip, value lOOZ., given by Mr. Mason, the High Sheriff of 
xfordshire (who may really claim to be the originator of the 
)mpetition for farm prizes in connection with this Society), 
id prizes of 50/. and 25/., given by the Society, by whom 
so the expenses of judging are always borne. Next year the 
ountrv iVieeting was held at Wolverhampton, and the prizes 
ere offered in two classes, one for arable and the other for 
liry farms ; the prizes in each were — 1st, 100/. ; 2nd, 50/. ; 
ith two special prizes of 25/. each. It is not necessary to give 
lese details for each succeeding year ; but before passing on to 
|ie current year (1877) it will be sufficient to mention that in 
S70 there were 21 competitors, and in 1871 there were 23 in 
le arable and 4 in the dairy class. 
In connection with the Liverpool Meeting a more minute Subdivision 
ibdivision of the farms into classes was made by the Local "g^^'*^^®^ '° 
ommittee, who offered the prizes ; and the following is the list, 
ith the number of entries in each class : — 
VOL. XIV. — S. S. 3 N 
1 
