210 Report on International Agricultural Meeting at Lille. 
following departments : — L'Aisne, le Nord, Pas de Calais, la 
Somme, l'Oise, Seine et Marne, Seine et Oise, and la Seine ; and 
the city of Lille, the capital of the " Departement du Nord," was 
fixed upon for the meeting. The locality was well adapted for 
the introduction of the new element of competition — the admis- 
sion of foreign exhibitors to the meeting. The accommodation 
both for exhibitors and their stock was ample and well arranged, 
while the railway and general facilities of transport placed it readily 
within reach of the countries. most likely to take advantage of the 
invitation of the authorities. These were, however, as might be 
expected, limited both as to nations and as to numbers of exhi- 
bitors, Belgium, Holland, and Great Britain being the only 
countries represented ; the two former chiefly contributing speci- 
mens of their various breeds of stock ; while our entries were 
confined entirely to machinery and implements. 
In addition to the competition between the exhibitors of stock 
and of implements the annual "Prize of Honour" had to be 
awarded " to the agriculturist of the department (du Nord) whose 
" exploitation " compared with other rural properties in the de- 
partment should be considered the best managed, and where the 
improvements carried out were of the most useful character, and 
such as were desirable as examples to others." This prize, which 
is open to all persons farming within the department, consists of 
a sum of 5000 francs (200/.) in money and of a silver cup of 
the value of 3000 francs (120/.) ; besides which the jury has the 
power of awarding a sum of 500 francs (20/.), three silver medals, 
and three bronze medals, to the persons employed on the property 
who have aided in carrying out the improvements.* 
The Show was held on the esplanade in front of the citadel. 
The arrangements for the exhibition of the stock were very taste- 
ful and complete, long ranges of roomy sheds being prepared for 
their reception. For a small proportion of the machines, &c, 
shed accommodation was afforded ; the rest was arranged along 
the alleys of the esplanade. 
The duties assigned to us by the administration were to assist in 
the examination and adjudication of awards to the machinery and 
implements. For the purposes of division of labour and economy 
of time the machinery department was divided into two classes : 
the one comprising those machines, &c, used in the outdoor, the 
other those used in the indoor work of the farm ; Professor Wilson 
was the English representative in the first, and Sir A. K. Mac- 
donald in the latter division of the Jury. The awards in this 
department of the Show were confined to medals of gold, silver, 
* In vol. xxiv. p. 8, ' Royal Agricultural Society's Journal,' full details have 
been given of the working of these prizes in the different agricultural districts 
{regions) of France during the past year (1862.) 
