1 Annual General Meeting, December 9 , 1908 . 
year, and upon the magnificent return from the Newcastle Meeting, which he 
hoped would not for many years remain the highest. There was one matter to 
which he desired to refer which was of the greatest importance to British 
agriculture. That was the adoption of mechanical power for driving mowing 
and reaping machines. He had been present at the fourth country meeting 
held by the Society, and in the whole of the Showyard on that occasion there 
was not a single appliance for haymaking or corn harvesting, except waggons, 
scythes, hooks, picks, and rakes ; but it was totally different now. Everything 
in the harvest field was now done by horses, from cutting to elevating to the 
rick. Every horse on the farm was wanted to perform very hard work. He 
thought the time had come when mechanical power should be employed in the 
harvest-field. Motor-power was called in some cases the fiend of the road, but 
he hoped that in future it might be called the fairy of the field. No doubt 
within a short time something would be done, and a complete appliance intro- 
duced. He fancied that he himself would knotf how to make one that could 
be taken into a field of twelve acres, and cut it down in two hours. He sug- 
gested that the Council should offer prizes at the Liverpool Meeting of 1910 for 
the adoption of motor-power for mowing and reaping. 
Mr. Joseph Martin, in seconding the Report, congratulated the Council 
upon the handsome Balance-sheet presented that day. He rejoiced to find that 
the Council had returned to the vigour of their youth. He regretted to see 
amongst those who had passed away the names of Sir Nigel Kingscote, Sir 
Massey Lopes, and Lord Derby, and he could not help regretting their loss. 
The President stated that, as Mr. Gibbons had raised the question, he 
thought he might explain that the Council had now under consideration a pro- 
posal to hold trials of motors in connection with the Show of 1910, and he was 
sure it would be possible to carry out something in the direction suggested. 
Mr. John Kendrick (Stafford) said that, as one who took a great interest 
in the Society, he really thought that some one in authority ought to have let 
the Members in Staffordshire know that they only required an additional four 
Members to qualify them to have two representatives on the Council. If this 
had been done before the last election, and the two representatives had been 
notified, they would have spread it about amongst those interested in agricul- 
ture in the county, and he might say that they would not merely have got four 
Members, but twenty-four, or even forty-four. There was no doubt that they 
would obtain Members when there was something of this kind to work for. 
He desired to bring the matter forward, and he hoped that some notice would 
be taken of it. He was sure that if his suggestion were carried out it would 
mean a very great increase in the membership, which the President had stated 
was so desirable. 
The Report of the Council was then unanimously adopted. 
Election of President. 
Major P. G. Craigie, C.B., said it was with great pleasure that he rose to 
carry out a duty which every Member in that room would, he felt sure, have 
been glad to perform. It was to propose that the Earl of Jersey be elected as 
President of the Society for the ensuing year. When they looked back at the 
long roll of Royal and noble Presidents of the Royal Agricultural Society, they 
felt it their duty that the great succession should be worthily continued, and 
he felt certain that, in commending to their notice the name of the Earl of 
Jersey, every one would support him with cordial approval. His Lordship had 
been known to them as a Member of Council for many years, and he was 
known outside that Society wherever agriculturists met together, and his 
advice was freely given, and tendered in a most amiable manner. Lord Jersey 
had this distinction, in addition to many that had graced their Presidents in 
the past — not only had he displayed interest in the agriculture of this country, 
but he had been a distinguished Governor of one of their overseas dominions. 
Mr. James T. Hobbs (Fairford) said that he had nothing to add to the 
very eloquent speech of Major Craigie. They in Gloucestershire felt proud 
