2 PROCEEDINGS AT BOAED MEETINGS. 



Chair. i\Ir F. N. Menzies reported apologies for the absence of the Hon. G. R. Ver- 

 non, Mr Findlay of Easterhill, Mr Gillou of Wallhouse, Mr Harvey, Whittingham 

 Mains; Jlr Howatson of Dornell, Mr Irvine of Drum, Mr Johnstone of Bodesbeck, Mr 

 Swinton, Holyn Bank; and Mr Walker of Bowland. 



Argyll Naval Fund. — On the recommendation of the Committee in charge of the 

 Argyll Naval Fnnd, of which Admiral Sir William J. Hope Johnstone, K.C.B., is- 

 chairman, Mr Norman Godfrey Macalister was added to the list of recipients, in place 

 of Mr Samnel Ewing, who has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Mr Macalister 

 is a native of Argyllshire, and is at present serving in the Britannia. 



General Shows. — The minute of the Committee on General Shows, 17th February, 

 was submitted. Among the subjects under consideration were: — 



The Selection of Judges. — This subject arose, on the motion of Mr Barclay, M.P., 

 at the last General Meeting, in regard to the nomination of judges of stock. The 

 motion was in the following terms: — "That the Directors be recommended, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining who are considered best qualified to act as judges at the Society's 

 Shows, to forward to each exhibitor a list of the exhibitors in the group of classes to 

 be judged by one set of judges, and in which he is an exhibitor, land invite him to 

 submit for the information of the Directors the names of the three gentlemen (not 

 themselves exhibitors in the group) whom he considers best qualified to act as judges 

 for that group." The motion not being lodged within the time prescribed by the bye- 

 laws, could not be submitted for immediate decision to the General I\Ieeting, and was, 

 on the suggestion of Mr Barclay, remitted to the Directors, and by them "referred ta 

 the General Show Committee. The minute hears that the Committee, having given 

 the subject thpir most careful consideration, have to report that, as at present every 

 member is at liberty to send in the names of gentlemen they deem qualified to act as 

 judges, they consider the proposal imnecessary and inexpedient. The Committee are 

 further of opinion that the appointment of the judges should rest entirely with the 

 Directors, and that the less exhibitors have to do with their selection the better. 



The Period for Selecting Judges. — The Committee then took into consideration a 

 suggestion previously made by the Secretary on this subject, \Yhen they resolved to 

 recommend— (1.) That the judges should be appointed before the entries close. (2.) 

 That it should be remitted to the General Show Committee to draw up a list of judges 

 — say six for each breed — for the consideration of the Directors, (3.) That for this 

 purpose the Committee should meet in May, and have the list ready for the Directors' 

 meeting on the first Wednesday of June. 



The Board approved of the recommendations by the Committee, both as to the mode 

 and period of selecting judges. 



Steam Cultivatiox. — The following motion by the Hon. George Waldegrave 

 Leslie, approved of at last General Meeting, was remitted for the consideration of the 

 Committee on Steam Cultivation . — ' ' That it be remitted to the Directors for consi- 

 deration whether it will not be desirable forthwith to appoint a Standing Steam Com- 

 mittee, who shall receive reports from those members of the Society who employ steam 

 cultivation— the said Committee also to recommend rewards or medals as encourage- 

 ments for decided improvements in the method or cheapness of using steam-power for 

 cultivation." 



Mr Glennie, Fernyflatt, moved — " That this Board, recognising the importance of 

 steam cultivation in the husbandry of Scotland, resolves to offer premiums to the 

 amount of L.lOO for its encouragement, and remits to the Steam Cultivation Committee 

 to frame the conditions binder which the premiums are to be awarded." 



Mr Milne Home seconded the motion, which, after some discussion, was referred to 

 the Committee on Steam Cultivation, without the Board expressing any opinion. 



Agricultural and Forestry Departments. — The Secretary intimated that the 

 examinations for the Society's agricultural certificate and diploma, and for the Society's 

 certificates in forestry, had been fixed for Tuesday and Wednesday, the 23d and 24th 

 current, candidates being required to lodge intimation on or before the 15th, with the 

 Secretary, from whom a syllabus of the examination may be obtained. 



Veterinary Department. — The annual public examinations for the Society's veteri- 

 nary certificate, which are open to the students of any veterinary teacher duly recog- 

 nised by Government, were fixed to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 13th and 

 14th April — the practical examination taking place on Monday the 12th. 



Humanity to Animals. — The Secretary laid before the Directors a copy of a report 

 by a Sub-Committee of Greenock (Burgh) School Board, prepared in compliance with 

 .suggestions from the Highland Society, and various associations in the kingdom, having 

 for their object the prevention of cruelty to animals, and the destruction of property, 

 so prevalent among children. The Sub-Committee were of opinion that it wouki be 

 advisable that the School Board should issue an address to the teachers in the public 

 schools, recommending them to give special instructions, at stated intervals, on the 

 subject; that placards containing appropriate instructions, and suitable mottoes or 

 sentences, should be printed and hung up in the class-rooms, corridors, and play- 



