Repoi't to the General Meeting. 
vii 
)(Tered for a set of machinery not to exceed 700Z. in cost, and 
hat for the Society's Prizes for sets of tackle in which the weight 
»f the engine was restricted, as well as for others to be driven by 
>rdinary portable engines, produced results which will be prac- 
ically useful to farmers of every class who may be desirous of 
1,'ultivating their land b}^ the aid of steam. 
The trials of Traction-engines were an entirely new feature, 
nd the exhaustive report of the Engineer Judges has placed on 
)ermanent record the valuable additions which they made to our 
inowledge of the principles of Steam-traction on common roads, 
jmd the inferences which they suggest to the practical engineer. 
The competition for the Prizes offered in the section of Hop- 
nachinery was not so extensive as the Council had hoped to 
•xcite, but this disappointment has been to a great extent over- 
ome by the fact that the trials exposed to exhibitors and other 
mplement makers many striking defects in the existing machines. 
The exhibition of Live Stock did not in some cases equal 
hat of last year, but the show of Shropshire Sheep was the 
argest that has ever been held under the auspices of this Society. 
The liberality of the Local Committee in offering Prizes for 
lumerous additional classes of Horses did not meet with an 
ncouraging response from exhibitors, but it is to be feared that 
he charges for conveyance by the railway companies have a 
ery prejudicial effect on this department of the Society's Show. 
,\.lthough the Council have frequently eudeavoured unsuccess- 
ully to obtain concessions from the railway companies for the 
:onveyance of Live Stock, and more especially of Horses, they 
lave recently placed themselves once more in communication 
vith the railway authorities with this object in view. 
The Farm-prize Competition in connection with the Wolver- 
lampton Meeting excited great interest in the counties of 
>hropshire and Staffordshire, as well as in other parts of the 
iiingdom. A full report on the successful farms, written by Mr. 
Vheatley, one of the Judges, has been published in the Society's 
Journal, and it is hoped that it may aid in producing results 
ommensurate with the liberality of the landowners in the two 
ounties in offering the first Prizes, the enterprise of the com- 
•eting tenant-farmers, and the careful investigation of Mr. 
Vheatley and his colleagues. 
The series of Farm-prize Competitions will be continued next 
