272 TlMEHRI. 
meeting of members " to dispose of surplus funds and to 
take into consideration matters of importance." 
West Coast and West Bank Agricultural Society. 
In the newspapers of 1840, mention is made of "The 
West Coast and West Bank District Agricultural Society", 
Mr. Robt. N. BROTHERSON, Secretary. 
Collapse of the Early Movement. 
I have shown how the pioneer Agricultural Societies 
passed gradually but surely from public notice. The 
energy and activity with which they were established was 
not sustained, and in 1841, when "Agricultural Societies 
or Committees" of an altogether different character were 
being formed, Mr. Alex. Macrae publicly attributed the 
passing out of existence of the organizations whose 
records I have endeavoured to collect to the fact that 
" they had been made the instrument of political squab- 
bles and party feelings." The Agricultural Committees 
of 1 841 were the machinery by means of which the plan- 
ters sought to bring into operation the historical " Rules 
and Regulations" anent the work and wages of the freed 
black people. On October 12th, 1843, the Royal Gazette, 
commenting upon a ploughing match which had taken 
place in Barbados, remarked : — 
Alas for this colony ! While the Barbadians are talking of their 
"District Agricultural Societies" from which such honourable conten- 
tions emanate, where, oh planters of Demerara, Essequebo, and 
Berbice, is the single central Agricultural Association of any sort that 
you can point to as being now in operation. 
Three days later the same paper had the follow- 
ing :— 
As to Agricultural Societies, that of the West Coast and River Bank 
of Demerara was the last to drag its weary existence to a close ; since then 
