PROCEEDINGS AT BOARD MEETINGS. 5 



Menzies reported apologies for the absence of Sir Henrj' J. Setou Steuart of Toiicli, 

 Bart.; Mr Glennie, Fernyflatt ; Mr Harvey, Whittiiighani Mains ; Mr Irvine of Drum ; 

 Mr Martin, yi-. of Auchendennan ; Mr Graham Somervell of Sorn ; and Mr Pettigrew 

 Wilson of Polquhairn. 



General Meeting. —The half-yearly general meeting of the Society, for the elec- 

 tion of members and for other business, was fixed to be held on the 16tli June, being 

 the first Wednesday after the closing of the entries for the Glasgow Show, and the 

 usual day for holding the meeting. 



Chemical Department— Resi«nation of Professor Dewar. — The Secretary 

 read the following letter from Mr Dewar : — 



"Cambridge, St Peter's College, 

 I6tk Airril 187 5. 



" My Dear Sir, — I am truly sorry to inform you that on account of my appoint- 

 ment to the Jacksonian Chair in the University of Cambridge, our friendly intercourse 

 as officials of the Highland and Agricultural Society must teiininate at the next 

 November term. After what has occurred, it will hardly be necessary for me to say 

 anything about what might have been had the chemical department been rearranged 

 in the way I naturally anticipated after the death of Dr Anderson. You are aware I 

 intended prosecuting investigations in vegetable physiology, had the proper means 

 been placed at my disposal; and the desire to do so was the main reason of my leaving 

 the University. As it seems, however, the opinion of a portion of the Society that an 

 agricultural chemist (so called by the uninitiated, because his business is chemical 

 analyses and the manipulating of the farming interests) rather than a scientific chemist, 

 would be best qualified to discharge the duties of the office of chemist, I have con- 

 sidered it my duty to accept the Cambridge Professorship as the best means of getting 

 out of a false position. I still trust, however, the Society will rdtimately see that this 

 office of chemist will never be properly filled except by one thoroughly trained in scien- 

 tific research, and this, the making him a real agricultural chemist, will depend on the 

 means placed at his disposal for applying his scientific knowledge to agriculture. I 

 take this opportunity of conveying to you my heartfelt thanks for the great interest 

 you have taken in my welfare since I became connected with the Society. 



" Kindly inform the Directors of my appointment.— Yours very truly, 



(Signed) " James Dewar. 



" Fletcher Norton Menzies, Esq." 



The following resolution was unanimously adopted: — "The Directors cannot accept 

 Professor Dewar's resignation of the ofiice of assistant chemist without recording in 

 their minutes their sense of the value of his services, and their regret at the loss to the 

 Society of such a distinguished chemist. At the same time, they congratulate him 

 on having been appointed to such an honourable position.'^ 



Report by Special Committee. — This report, which was submitted to the meeting 

 of the Board on the 7th of April, when it was directed to be printed and circulated 

 among the Directors, previous to being brought up at the meeting held to-day, will be 

 foimd in the proceedings of the general meeting for June. 



After various explanations had been asked and given in reference to details, it was 

 moved by Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn, and seconded by Mr Scot Skirving: — 

 " That the Chemical Department of the Highland Society be constituted on a scale 

 suited to the funds at their disposal, and that a chemist be appointed, in terms of the 

 special meeting of Board of 9th December 1874, to superintend and conduct the same, 

 and experimental stations, as stated in the report of the special comraitteo, appointed 

 on the 3d of February 1875." 



Mr Milne Home of Wedderburn moved as an amendment: — " That the report of 

 the special committee be ap>proved of in every respect, except the recommendation to 

 appoint a chemist to institute investigations on all subjects relating to agriculture, at 

 a salary of L.300, and with power to work also for the general public, reserving for 

 future consideration the expediency of appointing a chemist at a much lower salary to 

 assist in the management of the Society's experimental stations, and who shall give his 

 whole time to the service of the Society. Farther, the Directors are of opinion that a 

 deputation should go at once to London to endeavour to obtain from the Government 

 a promise of a grant to assist in establishing the experimental stations referred to in 

 the Society's memorial to Government, the deputation keeping in view the instructions 

 drawn up for their guidance framed by the speci.'d committee, and with power to any 

 of the members of the deputation to visit Rothamstead before their interview with 

 Government." 



The amendment by Mr Milne Home not being seconded, the motion by Sir Thomas 

 Buchan Hepburn was carried. It was referred to the special committee, with the 

 assistance of Professor Dewar, to prepare a statement for the general meeting in 

 accordance with their report. The dejiutation to the CTOvernment was postponed till 

 after the general meeting on the IGth June. 



