one, the most successful, both as regarded contents and attendance, of any Exhibition therebefore held out of the Metropolis.  There were specimens of some of the greatest achievements in the arts of painting, sculpture, porcelain and pottery, carving and enamelling; ancient and modern metalwork, rich old furniture, armour, &c, that had ever been gathered together, and there can be little doubt that the advance which has since taken place in the scientific and artistic trade circles of the town spring in great measure from this Exhibition.—­On the 28th of August, 1865, an Industrial Exhibition was opened at Bingley Hall, and so far as attendance went, it must take first rank, 160,645 visitors having passed the doors.

Agricultural Exhibitions.—­The Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society, who own Bingley Hall, is the same body as the old Cattle Show Society, the modern name being adopted in 1871.  As stated elsewhere, the first Cattle Show was held in Kent Street, Dec. 10, 1849; the second in Bingley Hall, which was erected almost solely for the purposes of this Society, and here they have acquired the name of being the best in the kingdom.  To give the statistics of entries, sales, admissions, and receipts at all the Shows since 1849, would take more space than can be afforded, and though the totals would give an idea of the immense influence such Exhibitions must have on the welfare and prosperity of the agricultural community, the figures themselves would be but dry reading, and those for the past few years will suffice.

1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883. 
Cattle ...................  113   125   152   108   161   150   101
Sheep ....................   69    91    64    47    88    85    75
Pigs .....................   64    73    52    60    58    67    69
Corn .....................   27    58    29    36    55    67    66
Roots ....................   94   112   175   182   124   131   117
Potatoes .................   76   116   138    88   104    96   187
Poultry .................. 2077  2149  2197  2247  2409  2489  2816
Pigeons ..................  629   715   702   815   902   838  1332
----------------------------
3149  3439  3505  3583  3901  3923  4763
----------------------------

1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1882. 1883.  No. of Visitors .. 53,501 65,830 38,536 47,321 55,361 50,226 Receipts .........  L1,673 L1,997 L1,206 L1,585 L1,815 L1,665

[Transcriber’s note:  No figures are given in the original for 1883 in this table.]

In addition to the Christmas Cattle Show, the Society commenced in March, 1869, a separate exhibition and sale of pure-bred shorthorns, more than 400 beasts of this class being sent every year.  Indeed, the last show is said to have been the largest ever held in any country.  The value of the medals, cups, and prizes awarded at these cattle shows averages nearly L2,400 per year, many of them being either subscribed for or given by local firms and gentlemen interested