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XXIII. — General Report on the Newcastle Meeting. 
By J. Coleman. 
TlIR Newcastle Meeting of 1864, notwithstanding some gloomy 
anticipations, has proved a great success ; and as this was the 
first occasion on which the Royal Agricultural Society has paid 
a second visit to the same town, the authorities may be em- 
boldened by the result of this experiment to follow the same 
plan on future occasions should circumstances justify such a 
proceeding. One special advantage arose from this arrange- 
ment, viz., that this Meeting afforded a means of. comparison with 
that of 1846, and thus indicated the progress that has taken place- 
in the interval. 
The chief interest of the Meeting centres in the Implement 
trials, and especially in those relating to Steam Cultivation, 
which, under the fostering influence of the Society, has been 
developed from the regions of theory to the sober reality of 
economical practice. It is considered that steam power has now 
so far established its character that, considering the serious outlay 
involved in such contests, periodical trials might henceforth be 
advantageously substituted for annual competition. With this 
view the Society was desirous that the Newcastle experiments 
should be more comprehensive than those of previous years, 
and thus afford as it were a landmark and standard for com- 
parison in the history of this great invention. The exertions of 
the Local Committee, and especially of Mr. Jacob Wilson and 
his colleague, Mr. Browell, who particularly devoted themselves 
to the furtherance of this object, were most praiseworthy. In 
selecting for the inspection of the Visiting Committee one of the 
finest of trial-grounds, in a district where such selection must 
have been extremely difficult, and also in advocating an increased 
grant of 200/., in order to meet the very liberal offer of a similar 
sum made by Mr. Fowler, the Local Committee rendered im- 
portant service : indeed, the successful character of the entire 
show was in no small degree attributable to the hearty co-opera- 
tion afforded by the Local Committee and the authorities of 
Newcastle generally. With such an example before them, 
others were encouraged to zealous activity, and Stewards, Judges, 
and Exhibitors seemed determined to work together with a will. 
The Senior Steward of Implements, Mr. Torr, with his colleagues 
the Hon. A. Vernon and Lord Cathcart, were most unwearied in 
their exertions, and the Judges must have felt it a pleasure and 
privilege to act under such thoroughly painstaking and practical 
leaders. The efforts of the head officials may, however, be ren- 
dered comparatively ineffectual if those to whom the details are 
