14. The detailed Regulations for the Exhibition and Trial of Implements at York have now been settled. The following Prizes will be offered by the Society : General Purpose Horse-power Cultivators Milking Machine Prizes of 401. and 207. Prizes of 401. and 201. Prize of 50%. Sheep-shearing Machine, to be driven by power other than Hand Power Sheep-shearing Machine, to be driven by Hand Power Prize of 201. Prize of 101. 15. The Prize sheet for Stock, Poultry, and Produce has been definitely settled, and will be issued immediately. The Prizes offered in all departments (exclusive of Champion Prizes and Medals offered by various Breed Societies) amount in all to 6,6207. to which the York Local Committee contribute 1,6761. The special prizes offered by the York Local Committee include seven classes for Hunters, one for Hacks, six for Cleveland Bays, six for Coach Horses, eight for Hackneys, two for Ponies, two for Shetland Ponies, six for Polo Ponies, three for Harness Horses, and six for Draught Horses in harness to be exhibited on the Thursday of the Meeting only; two classes for Highland Cattle; one class each for Lincoln, Shropshire and Border Leicester Sheep, and two for Wensleydale Sheep. Classes are also offered for Stilton-shaped and flat-shaped Wensleydale or Cotherstone Cheeses, for Cleveland Cheeses and for Ryedale Cheeses. 16. The Classes for Live Stock provided by the Society itself will include Hunters, Cleveland Bays, Coach Horses, Hackneys, Ponies, Shires, Clydesdales, and Suffolk Horses. In the classes for Cattle, prizes will be offered for the Shorthorn, Hereford, Devon, Sussex, Longhorn, Welsh, Red Polled, Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Highland, Ayrshire, Jersey, Guernsey, Kerry, and Dexter breeds and for Dairy Cows. The maximum age of Bulls competing for the prizes offered by the Society has been limited to four years, and that of Cows to six years. The Classes for Sheep will include Leicesters, Cotswolds, Lincolns, Oxford Downs, Shropshires, Southdowns, Hampshire Downs, Suffolks, Border Leicesters, Wensleydales, Kentish or Romney Marsh, Devon Longwoolled, Somerset and Dorset Horned, Cheviots, Blackfaced Mountain, Herdwicks, and Welsh Mountain. The prizes for Pigs will include the Large White, Middle White, Small White, Berkshire, and Tamworth breeds, as in previous years; and two Classes have been added for Pigs of the Large Black Breed. 17. Prizes will also be given for useful descriptions of Poultry, including Table Fowls and Ducks; for Butter; for Cheddar, Cheshire, Stilton, Wilts, Double Gloucester, and other British Cheeses of 1900 make; and for Cider and Perry. The British Beekeepers' Association will continue their prizes for Hives, Honey and Bee Appliances. VOL. X. T. S.-10 X X 18. There will also be a competition open to the United Kingdom of Shoeing Smiths in two Classes-viz. for Hunters and Cart Horses-and Prizes amounting to 167. will be offered in each Class. The Worshipful Company of Farriers have offered to present the Freedom of their Guild, free of cost, to the winner of the First Prize in each Class, provided the Judges consider that sufficient ability has been displayed. The Registration Committee of the Farriers' Company will also admit, free of charge, the First Prize winners in these Competitions to the Official Register of Farriers or Shoeing Smiths, and, on payment of the usual fees, all other competitors who shall duly satisfy the Judges of their efficiency. 19. As the result of the examination of students in cattle pathology (including the diseases of cattle, sheep, and swine) conducted by the Royal Veterinary College, Mr. G. Lockwood, of Poulton-leFylde, had been awarded the Society's silver medal, and Mr. H. S. Elphick, of 1, Brandling Park, Newcastle-on-Tyne, the bronze medal. 20. Except in the case of rabies, the present year has not witnessed any notable decline in the prevalence of the contagious diseases of the domesticated animals. The outbreaks of anthrax are below those of last year, but the number of animals attacked has been greater. In the case of glanders, the outbreaks are in excess of the number recorded at the same date in 1898, and the outbreaks of swine fever reported since the 1st of January last are only slightly below the number for the corresponding period of last year. Only eight cases of rabies (all in dogs) have been reported during the current year, as against sixteen at the same date in 1898. 21. The number of morbid specimens forwarded during the past half-year to the Department of Comparative Pathology established at the Royal Veterinary College by the aid of a grant from the Society was 147. During the same period experiments bearing on the nature and means of prevention of African "horse-sickness" have been carried out, and others relating to the value of tuberculin are being conducted by the aid of a special grant of 2007. from the Society. 22. During the past twelve months, members have submitted to the Consulting Chemist 802 samples for analysis. This number falls somewhat short of the 861 samples sent in 1898, when a slight excess over 1897 was reported. A very satisfactory general report is given by Dr. Voelcker as to improvement in the quality of linseed cake, both of English and foreign make, of basic slag and of ordinary manufactured manures; but there has been considerable deterioration in decorticated cotton cake. Attention is specially drawn to the necessity of exercising care in regard to the materials used in the manufacture of "compound" feeding cakes, to the fineness of grinding of basic slag, and the purchase of "blue vitriol" (sulphate of copper), which latter is frequently adulterated with sulphate of iron ("green vitriol"). 23. The harvest results for each individual year of the Woburn experiments since their commencement in 1877 were published in the concluding number of the Journal of last year; and the experiments, with some modifications, have entered upon a fresh term. Feeding experiments upon the use of gorse for sheep, and on the early feeding of mangels to bullocks, were conducted during the winter of 1898-9, and the reports thereon have been published in the Journal. Experiments on the spraying of potatoes with "Bouillie Bordelaise," and on the prevention of "Finger and Toe" in turnips, have been continued, but were greatly impaired by the very unfavourable season for the crops in question. 24. The second year's crops relating to the experiments conducted at the Pot-culture station at Woburn, under the Hills Bequest, have been gathered, and will shortly be tabulated, as well as the results of other experiments of a general nature carried out at the station. All the stations under the Society's control, at which grass experiments are being made, have been visited during the past summer by the Consulting Botanist. A series of experiments on the eradication of charlock by the use of spraying solutions of sulphate of copper and sulphate of iron were undertaken by the Society in various parts of the country, and tests were made at the Woburn Pot-culture station as to the eradication of wild chrysanthemum, poppies, wild onions, and other weeds. 25. The Consulting Botanist reports that the superior quality of the seeds examined and tested during the past year has been maintained. Only one case of dodder in clover seed was observed. The more important grass and clover seeds have reached an average germination of over 90 per cent. The mixtures for laying down, which have been bought simply as mixtures without any statement or guarantee of their composition, have not been satisfactory, and in some cases have contained a considerable proportion of worthless weeds. An increasing number of inquiries has been received regarding plants supposed to be injurious to stock. Some of these proved to be innocent, but the larger number were dangerous plants. Advice has been given as to their properties, and the methods of dealing with them. Fungal diseases, affecting the vigour and in some cases the life of cultivated plants, have been investigated and advised on. 26. The work of the Zoologist's department is increasing, and the applications during the past six months have been unusually various in their nature, including cases of insect attack in the colonies. Some inquiries have been received with regard to certain insects and worms parasitic upon live stock, but most have had reference to attacks upon farm crops, stored agricultural produce, and especially fruit crops. 27. As the result of the Society's Examination in the Science and Practice of Agriculture, held from May 9 to May 13 last, the following twenty candidates, placed in order of merit, gained First-Class Certificates. The first candidate (having obtained over three-fourths of the maximum number of marks, 1,500) was also awarded the Life Membership of the Society and the Gold Medal. The second, third, fourth, and fifth candidates (having obtained over two-thirds of the maximum number of marks) received the Life Membership of the Society and the Silver Medal. 1. JOSEPH HENRY HINCHCLIFF, Yorkshire College, Leeds.—(1200 marks.) Gold Medal and Life Membership of the Society. 2. LAWRENCE ABRAM, Durham College of Science, Newcastle-onTyne. (1155 marks.) Silver Medal and Life Membership of the Society. 3. ADOLF H. DELLSCHAFT, South-Eastern Agricultural College, Wye, Kent. (1128 marks.) Silver Medal and Life Membership of the Society. 4. SAMUEL SIMPSON, Wiswell, Whalley, Blackburn.—(1118 marks.) Silver Medal and Life Membership of the Society. 5. THOMAS NEWTON, Agricultural and Horticultural School, Holmes Chapel.-(1074 marks.) Silver Medal and Life Membership of the Society. 6 HERBERT WILLIAM ALLISON, Yorkshire College, Leeds. 7. FRED SMITH, Agricultural and Horticultural School, Holmes Chapel. WILLIAM JACKSON, Agricultural College, Aspatria. ERIC ARTHUR NOBBS, The University, Edinburgh. 9. JAMES ERNEST THOROLD, South Eastern Agricultural College, Wye, Kent. 11. JOHN HENRY BURTON, Durham College of Science, Newcastle on-Tyne. 12. ROBERT GWILLIM, The Agricultural College, Aspatria. 13. JOHN EDWIN RIGG, Crake Side, Greenodd, Ulverston. 14. GEORGE RYCE, Agricultural College, Uckfield, Sussex. WARBURTON C. JARDINE, Glasgow and West of Scotland 15.. Technical College, Glasgow. HUGH C. SAMPSON, Barnard Castle, co. Durham. 17. JOHN CHRISTOPHER FRYER, The College, Reading. 18. HERBERT FREDERICK BENGER, South Eastern Agricultural College, Wye, Kent. 19. GEORGE BERNARD NICKSON, The Park Farm, Prestwich, Manchester. 20. ROWLAND GURNELL, University College, Nottingham. 28. The following seven candidates, having passed in Agriculture and in three of the four other compulsory subjects, received SecondClass Certificates: 21. ALFRED SMITH, jun., The Agricultural College, Uckfield. 22. JOHN WILLIAMSON, Agricultural and Horticultural School Holmes Chapel. 23. WILLIAM SEPTIMUS HARRISON, Agricultural College, Aspatria. 24. JOHN ROBERTS, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. 25. WILLIAM RICHARD LLOYD-WILLIAMS, Agricultural College, Aspatria. 26. JOHN HANNATH, University College, Nottingham. 27. PATRICK JOSEPH HANNON, Clifton House, Loughrea, co. Galway. 29. Twenty-one candidates presented themselves for the Annual Examination in the Science and Practice of Dairying, conducted jointly by the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. Of the twelve candidates examined at Reading from September 25 to 28, the following six satisfied the Examiners, and therefore received the National Diploma in the Science and Practice of Dairying : MAUDE P. ASHBY, 110 Liverpool Road, Birkdale, Southport. ANDREW LOGAN, Midland Dairy Institute, Kingston Fields, CHRISTINA M. BRYDIE MCDUFF, British Dairy Institute, Reading. GEORGE BERNARD NICKSON, Park Farm, Prestwich, Manchester. DORA ORR, The Harris Institute, Preston. 30. Of the nine candidates examined at Kilmarnock from October 2 to 5, the following five were successful : CHRISTINA D. FLEMING, Hawkwood, Strathaven, Lanarkshire. 31. It was mentioned in the May report of the Council that an understanding had been arrived at with the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland for the holding of a joint examination for a National Diploma in Agriculture, to take the place of the separate examinations which have heretofore been conducted by the two Societies. The Regulations and Syllabus for this examination have now been settled and issued, and a National Agricultural Examination Board, consisting of representatives of the Councils of both Societies, has been created for the purpose of supervising the arrangements. The Scheme provides that candidates who pass the examination and obtain a certain percentage of the maximum number of marks will receive the National Diploma in Agriculture, and those who obtain a higher percentage of marks, the Diploma with honours, a Gold Medal being awarded to the best candidate on the honours list. The examination will be divided into two |