General Meeting , July 2, 1908. 
xxxviii 
especially as His Royal Highness was so busy, having, as they all knew, to make 
an important journey to Canada within a very short time. As at their last two 
Shows, the Horticultural Exhibition held a very prominent position in the 
Showyard, and this department reflected the greatest credit upon all those 
responsible for its organisation. Another section of considerable interest was 
the Agricultural Education and Forestry Exhibition, particularly the exhibits 
kindly sent by the Duke of Northumberland and their ex-President, Lord 
Yarborough, whose health, they would all be glad to know, had now much 
improved, and they looked forward, at no distant date, to have the benefit 
of his Lordship’s assistance and advice again. His Grace was sure that they 
would all agree with him that they owed a great debt of gratitude to their 
Honorary Director, Sir Gilbert Greenall — (hear, hear) — who had made such 
admirable arrangements, and brought to bear his splendid powers of organisa- 
tion, and the energy with which he saw that the minutest details were 
carried out. The great success of the Show was mainly due to Sir Gilbert, 
backed up as he was by a very able staff. He was not going to detain them 
with a long speech, but it might be of interest to them to know that the 
Reserve Fund now amounted to upwards of 22,000Z. They had every reason 
to hope that by the end of the year it would be very considerably increased. 
He did not wish to make too much of the satisfactory character of their 
financial position, because it must be abundantly clear that they would not 
always be in a position to receive the hospitality of great centres of industry, 
like Newcastle. In fact, they must all agree that it was the work of that great 
Society to go to every portion of the country, where their welcome would be 
equally warm, although they might not have such large attendances. He 
hoped, after that Show, the Society would be in a strong financial position, and 
that they would be able to continue the useful work which he thought the 
Society was doing in all parts of the country. The membership of the Society 
was at present approximately 10,000, but he hoped — without being at all 
avaricious —that that number might be considerably increased. The advantages 
which accrued to membership of the Society were so well known, and the 
demand upon their purses was so very slender, that he thought it was an 
extremely good investment for anyone to become a member of that community. 
Every member could do an immense amount by persuading his friends to join, 
and by pointing out the useful work now carried on by the Society. He hoped 
now, when they had had three Exhibitions such as they had had since they 
started their new system, and were in a strong financial position, that they 
would be able to induce many more members to join. He was quite sure it 
would repay them for doing so. They would all have seen the figures for the 
attendance both on the first and second days, and also up to 1 1 o’clock that 
day. It was most encouraging, and most satisfactory. He ventured to say 
that he did not particularly appreciate what he might call record-breaking, but, 
to use the words he had adopted on the previous night at the Lord Mayor’s 
banquet, they had established a very salutary precedent, and he hoped it was 
one which would be carried out in the future, and, if possible, surpassed. 
Farm Prize Competitions. 
The Secretary then announced the awards made by the Judges in 
the Farm Prize Competitions, which will be found on pages cxxii and cxxiii. 
Thanks to Lord Mayor and Corporation. 
Sir Gilbert Greenall moved : “ That the best thanks of the Society are 
due and are hereby tendered to the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Newcastle 
for their cordial reception of the Society.” It was with very great pleasure he 
proposed that resolution. He did not suppose any member of the Society had 
been brought into touch with the Local Committee so much as he had as 
Honorary Director of the Show. He could assure them that from the first time 
he came to Newcastle as their representative the greatest kindness and con- 
sideration had been shown to the Society by the Lord Mayor and everybody 
