LIME AND VARIOUS ARTIFICIAL MANURES. 121 



here, although it is a little outside my subject, that it would, in my 

 opinion, be for the mutual l)enefit of proprietor and tenant were 

 an arrangement come to several years before the e.xpiry of a lease 

 to renew the contract. It would save that obnoxious process 

 generally known as the " starvation process." 



In concluding, I would like to mention one or two points of 

 importance which I have learned Ijy experience in buying and 

 using artificial manures, viz. — (1) Buy only on a guaranteed basis 

 of so much a unit for the manurial ingredients contained in the 

 manure ; (2) mention a chemist as referee before buying, in case 

 of dispute ; (3) buy direct fi-om the importers or manufacturers ; 

 (4) it is always much more satisfactory to deal with a known and 

 respectable firm ; (5) the best bargains can generally be obtained 

 for net cash, as the discount is always large for cash ; (6) where 

 mixtures are wanted, buy the different ingredients and mix them 

 up for yourself, as you will, as a rule, then have them in better 

 condition for sowing ; and lastly, a great deal depends on having 

 the manure in a nice state of division, and in getting it equally 

 spread over the soil, as well as in getting each crop put in at the 

 right time, the soil free from weeds, and, above all, dry. 



HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE VETERINAEY DEPARTMENT 

 OF THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Highland Society having just concluded an agreement 

 with the Eoyal College of Veterinary Surgeons, whereby the 

 Society's Annual Examination of Veterinary Students will 

 be suspended in 1881, it may be useful to supply some informa- 

 tion in regard to the Society's efforts to promote Veterinary 

 science. 



The first attempt to introduce the teaching of Veterinary 

 Surgery in Scotland took place in 1816, when the Lord Provost 

 of Edinburgh endeavoured to induce the Senatus Academicus to 

 appoint in the University a Chair of Comparative Anatomy, 

 embracing Veterinary Physic and Surgery. The Senatus, how- 

 ever, declined, assigning a number of reasons for their refusal. 

 They stated that the institution of a Veterinary School in the 

 city would reflect much honour on the founders, and be of 

 permanent advantage to the community, but that such an 

 institution, however desirable in itself, was not a suitable 

 appendage to a University, in respect that it must necessarily 

 lead to lucrative employments connected with that brancli of 

 study which might not be consistent in public estimation with 

 the dignity of the University, and that, in point of fact, the 



