. I'jricultural Progress and 
the last lour years, and the extra cost (400/.) of a double number 
in 1862. 
Column 8 shows the amount annually voted for chemical and 
veterinary investigations and lectures. These amounts were 
exceptionally large in 1861 and 1862, in consequence of special 
investigations ordered by the Council on Cheescmakincj and the 
Rot in Sheep. The average amount devoted to these departments 
of science during the last fourteen years has been 685/. per 
annum. 
Country Meetings. — Table (B.) gives the financial statistics of 
the Society's Country Meetings. In column 3, we find the amount 
annually awarded in prizes. For the first seven years (1811-47) the 
variation is but slight, the average amount being 1320/. During 
the next ten years (1848-57) the prize-list was increased fully 25 
per cent., the average being 1678/. At the Chester Meeting a 
further increase of 25 per cent, was made ; and, excluding Eattersea 
on account of the anomalous character of a metropolitan Meeting, 
the average of the five years 1858-63 was 2130/. These addi- 
tions to the Society's prizedist have been'easily provided for out 
of the increased receipts whenever the Meetings have been held 
in populous districts ; and although it would be foreign to the 
policy and objects of the Society to confine its Country Meetings 
to those districts where large receipts may be expected, it is yet 
satisfactory to feel that whenever its funds may be somewhat 
heavily taxed in order to stimulate a backward and thinly- 
peopled district, the Society can always make up its leeway by 
holding a Meeting in the heart of our manufacturing or mining 
population. 
The general result of the 23 Country Meetings here tabulated 
cannot be considered otherwise than satisfactory ; for, though 
their whole cost, exclusive of prizes, has been 134,616/. (column 
4), the receipts, on the other hand, have exceeded that amount 
by 7577/. ; so that the Society, has not drawn on its funds to 
defray any part of the cost of the Annual Shows except the 
amount awarded by them in prizes ; and towards meeting this 
charge the above-mentioned balance of 7577/. has been received, 
leaving the net sum to be provided by the Society 33,078/., or 
1433/. per annum. 
This table also gives conclusive evidence of the increasing 
attendance at the Society's Annual Shows. The average receipts 
at the Country Meetings 
£. 
For the 7 years 1841 to 1847 having been .. .. 4140 
1848 „ 1854 „ .... 5009 
For the last 7 years (excluding Battersea) .. .. S5G3 
