Agricultural Societies. 271 
been inapplicable, the term Foreman be used instead, and that the mem- 
bers of the Society carry this resolution into effect forthwith upon the 
estates with which they are connected; also, that it is desirable to provide 
more efficiently for the education of the labouring classes in this district, 
and for this purpose to establish on each estate a School at which children 
six years old and upwards shall be required to attend for two hours 
every day at least, besides Sundays, and likewise to form a Sunday 
School for all who desire to attend ; that the members of the Society 
will act upon the above resolution forthwith, and that the Committee be 
authorised to make arrangements for procuring the requisite books and 
to distribute them to estates at cost price. 
It is to be regretted that the old files of the Demerara 
papers — I have not had any of the Berbice ones at my 
command — contain no information with reference to the 
result of the aclion which appears to have been resolved 
upon, or indeed as to whether any such interesting 
educational experiment was ever actually attempted. 
On the 2nd May, 1834, the Berbice Society decided to 
offer prizes as follows : — 
1st. A Gold Medal, value 10 guineas, to any Manager of a sugar 
estate in this district who should on the ist May, 1835, have prepared 
by the plough and successfully established in canes, the greatest extent 
not less than 20 acres, of land, with the least manual labour ; and a 
Silver Medal value 5 guineas, to the Manager who shall have prepared 
the next greatest extent in the same manner. 
2nd. A Silver Medal, value 3 guineas and the sum of 2 Joes in money, 
to the best negro ploughman ; and a Silver Medal of the same value to 
the second best. 
3rd. A Silver Medal value 5 guineas to the person exhibiting the best 
team of 6 draft oxen, in point of strength and docility. 
4th. A Gold Medal value 10 guineas to the person who on the ist May, 
1835, shall have effected the greatest saving of manual labour by 
machinery or otherwise on any one estate in Berbice, to the satisfaction 
of a Committee to be appointed by the Society. 
The next — and the last — reference I have seen to 
this Society, is an advertisement signed " Geo. Laing, 
Treasurer," and dated gth November, 1837, convening a 
