18 PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



award of the prizes for leaping till after the last parade on Friday. They have 

 to-day resolved that the prizes shall be decided immediately after the last parade on 

 Wednesday. This, it is thought, will be satisfactory both to exhibitors and the 

 public. I have lastly to remind those who desire tickets of admission to make 

 application to the Secretary. Tickets have been sent to those residing in the district, 

 so far as known. If there be any who, by change of residence or otherwise, have not 

 been supplied, they are requested to make application as soon as possible. 



The Hon. G. Waldegrate Leslie asked if there were many entries of steam culti- 

 vators among the implements ? 



The Secretary said he could not yet state the number, as it had not been made up ; 

 but the information would be given as soon as possible. 



Aberdeen' Show, 1S76. — Captain Gillon reported with reference to the proposed 

 Show at Aberdeen in 1S76 that the arrangements, so far as they could be perfected up 

 to this time, were in a very satisfactory state. 



Selection OF Judges. — In the absence of Mr Barclay, M.P., his motion as to the 

 selection of judges was read; and the report of the Directors as to the appointment of 

 ju<lges was unanimously adopted. 



Agricultural Education. — Mr Walker of Bowland said —I have to report that 

 the examinations for the Society's agricultural certificate and diploma took place on 

 the 23d and 2Ith March, when ten gentlemen enrolled their names as candidates, and 

 that the examinations resulted in the following passing: — For diploma — Mr William 

 Kennedy, 89 Marine Parade, Brighton, who obtained the certificate in 1874. For 

 certificate and diploma — Messrs Thomas Coker Beck, George Burn Murdoch, and 

 E. W. E. Murray. For certificate — Jlessrs John Bramwell, George Henry Catt, 

 Eobert Ewing, A. A. Ferguson, and John Scott. The four first-named gentlemen 

 have been to-day elected free life members of the Society, in terms of the Bj'e-Laws. 

 I have only further to state that the two prizes of L.6 and L.4 annually ailowed by the 

 Society to the students who pass the best and second best examinations in the agri- 

 '•ultural class in tlie Edinburgh University have this year been awarded to A. A. 

 Ferguson, Gosfield, and J. J. Brown, Cumberland. 



The new Bye-Laws, approved of at the General Meeting held on 20th January, were 

 confirmed in terms of the charter. 



Professor WiLSOX said lie had received the following letter from a gentleman in 

 Golspie on the subject of the new scholarships :— " Sir, — I am very desirous to see the 

 questions put to agricultural students as a test of their knowledge in any examination, 

 so as to have an idea of the salient points of the subject. Much interest is attached 

 here to the university scholarships expected to be open for competition in November in 

 connection with the Highland and Agricultural Society. I presume all will be eligible, 

 and awards made to those who show the greatest proficiency in the subjects of examina- 

 tion, no matter whether school or self taught. Kindly say if I am correct in that view, 

 or if there be anything to bar a farmer's son, who may have no instructor but his own 

 exertions, without help from tutor or school, from entering for competition .< Feeling 

 the stimulus these bursaries give to youthful farmers, — I am, &c." 



Mr D. Milne Home said that that the trustees of the Dollar Institution had appointed 

 a committee to confer with the Directors on the same subject. 



Chemical Department.— Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn read the following report 

 of the Directors : — 



" The report by the Directors on the Chemical Department made to the General Meet- 

 ing on the 20tli of January last, having been remitted back to the Board for further 

 consideration, with instructions to bring up a report ic June, the Dh-ectors, at their 

 first meeting thereafter, namely, on Sd February, referred the subject to a special 

 committee to make suggestions. 



"That committee, after several meetings, made a report to the Board. 



" On the 7th of April the Directors ordered the report to be printed and circidated 

 among them previous to its being brouglit up for consideration at their meeting on the 

 5th of May. 



" On that day the Directors resumed consideration of the remit from the General 

 Meeting with the suggestions from the special committee. 



"Tliey now beg to recommend as follows : — 



" That, considering the advantages which have already been derived from chemistry 

 in its application to agriculture, it is expedient to reorganise a Chemical Department 

 under the cognisance of the Society, for the purpose of conducting investigations on all 

 subjects relating to agriculture. 



'• That, in connection therewith, a series of carefully conducted experiments in the 

 open ground be instituted. 



"Tliat for these purposes a chemist, who shall reside in Edinburgh, and an agri- 

 cultural inspector be appointed at fixed salaries. 



"That the Chemical Department be mider tlie control of the Directors and the 

 chemist. 



