The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-06-21 00:00:00

ewes 255, 'beep 404, bones 73, boars 35, DOM 62ii
pigs 103, total bead of stock.
The plea of open judging adopted last year for
tbe first time has been again tried under • more
complete system of regulations, and tbe Council
recommend that it be continued.
. . . .

In the implement department there is a vest
increase in the number of the articles exhibited,
rendering it necessary for the society to add very
largely to the extent of its shedding. This is pro
bably the best test of the usefulness of the society,
as it proves that the farmers of the West of England
are becoming more and more aware of the impor-
tance of machinery in aid of the operations of agri-
culture, and are every year increasing their outlay in
that direction.

ln the arta' department there is a gratifying im-
provement in the character of the works exhibited.
The prizes offered for the encouragement of Honiton
lace have attracted a satisfactory amount of corn•
petition, considering that the experiment has been
now tried for the first time by this eociety. The
Council have the gratification of stating that Her
Majesty the Queen. to show the kind interest she
takes in this branch of the Society's operations, has
been graciously pleased to intimate her wish for the
prize article' to be submitted to her after the close
of the exhibition. During the past year Mr.
Goodall, the late respected curator of this depart.
meat, has resigned his office. The Council have
been very sorry to lose his valuable services. Mr.
Sidney Redoes, of Falmouth, luui been appointed
curator in his stead, and from the success of the
present exhibition, the Council are sanguine that
this department will lose nothing of its efficiency
during his tenure of office. The official duties of
the arts' department continue to increase. The
correspondence, in vole ing considerable responsibility,
extends over many months before the show. The
Society are indebted to Mr. Richard R. M. Haw
for the gratuitous conduct of these duties ins manner
atones liberal and systematic.
The department of horticulture has been unusually
successful this year, and the Council are greatly
indebted for it to the liberality of many private
and professional owners of rare plants, which have
been most courteously placed at the disposal of the
stewerds of this department for the purposes of this
exhibition.

A catalogue of the society's books, many of them
very valo.ble mad curious, has been printed for the
use of members, and added as an appendix to the
recently published part of the society's journal.
These books are sow in the care of the Bath Royal
Literary and Scientific Institution, where they are
available for reference to any member of the society;
but no book is permitted to be taken from the in-
stitution without • special written authority from
owe of the library stewards, to whom the librarian
of the institution is responsible for the safe custody
of the society's property.
The meeting of 1865. —ln consequence of the
Royal Agricultural Society having announced their
intention to hold their anneal meeting at Plymouth
in the year 1865, the Council of this Society have felt
it to be but courteous to select a place of meeting,
sufficiently remote from Plymouth as in no way to
clash with the exhibition of the Royal Agricultural
Society, and they hays, therefore, subject to the
approval of the annual meeting, accepted an invita-
tion from the city of Hereford to visit that city in
the year 1865. In order, however, to do this, it
will be necessary for the annual meeting to alter or
suspend the rule which requires that the exhibitions
of this society be held alternately in the E.stern and
Western districts. This subject will be submitted
to the annual meeting for their consideration and
decision.

The Council recommend that Lord Taunton be
requested to accept the office of president of the
Society for the ensuing year, and J. C. Mansel, Eel.,
of Longthorne, Slandford, as vice•president.
Mr. Gnaw prepared, Mr. H. G. MOYSEY seconded,
and it was resolved that Lord Taunton be requested
to accept the office of president to the Society for
the ensuing year. It was also agreed that in event
of his lordship declining to accept, the Council be
empowered to appoint • president.
Mr. POOL proposed to extend the area of the
Society's operation, but withdrew it in favour of an
amendment proposed by Mr. T. D. Acland to have
it open to the Council to hold annual meeting. in
any town. Hereford was the town fixed for next
year's meeting.

THE ANNUAL DINNIR
took place on Wednesday night in the Pavilion, in
the show•yard. The banquet less supplied by Mr.
Keene, of the Greyhound Hotel ; Earl Fortescue
presided, and there was a large attendance.