20 PEOCEEDIXGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



tlieir meetings, and by memorials to the Board of Trade, urged the necessity of advan- 

 cing the science and i:ii\actice of agriculture by means of experimental stations, the com- 

 mittee hope that a grant in aid of at least one-third of the sums subscriljed, and to be 

 subscribed by local parties, will readily be given by your Society for three years, for 

 the maintenance of the stations about to be established for the north-eastern districts 

 of Scotland. The committee are fully impressed with the conviction that the manage- 

 ment of the stations should be continuously conducted with scientific care and syste- 

 matic precision ; and they are glad to have reason to believe that thoroughly qualified 

 parties can be got in Aberdeen and the neighbourhood to superintend and conduct the 

 experiments quite satisfactorily. It is not considered necessary to make provision in 

 the meantime for continuing the experimental stations longer than three years, as it is 

 hoped that the representations by the Highland and Agricultural Society and by others 

 to the Government will soon be favourably considered, and the expediency of establish- 

 ing such station.s admitted by the Legislature. Please submit this application to the 

 meeting on the 16th inst., after the report by the Directore on the Chenucal Department 

 is read, and favour me with a reply, adckessed to Cluny Castle, Aberdeen. — I am, dear 

 sir, yours faithfully, (Signed) Ranald Macdonald, convener of committee. F. N. 

 Menzies, Esq., Secretary Highland and Agricultural Society, Geo. IV. Bridge, Edin- 

 burgh." 



Colonel Innes of Learney said he had received a letter from Mr Macdonald that 

 morning requesting him to sujiport this letter, and he could do so very cordially, so 

 far as it was consistent with the decision already arrived at by the Directors ; but he 

 thought he cordd not do so more effectually and satisfactorily than by bringing Ijefore 

 the meeting a resolution which lie had iudejiendently proposed to lay before the 

 Directors, viz. : — "Considering that the funds at command of the Society may be 

 insufficient, after paying the salaries of the chemist and scientific manager, to meet the 

 expenses of working experimental stations on an adequate scale, and also considering 

 that larger and more reliable results of experiments may be attained by combining in 

 association for that object the means and efforts of several districts, it is desirable that 

 the Highland and Agricultural Socieiy should undertake to establish such an associa- 

 tion by means of which the experimental stations maintained by local societies and by 

 individuals may be managed on a uniform plan, and under common rules, and so that 

 the same exjieriments may be conducted simultaneously under varied conditions of 

 soil and climate : That the organisation and management of such an association would 

 furnish adequate employment for the agricultural inspector of the Highland and 

 Agricultural Society, his duties being to organise the system of associated experimental 

 stations, to aid in drawing up the rules under which they are to be worked, to periodi- 

 t:ally visit and inspect the progress of the experiments, to superintend and check the 

 weighing and measuring of substances, to tabulate results and jirepare report : That 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society might also provide for the chemical analyses 

 reciuired for the experiments of the association, by the employment of a salaried chemist 

 or otherwise as may be found most expedient, and that any funds available after 

 providing for these objects might be offered as grants in aid of the working e:spenses 

 of the several associated experimental stations, under the condition that they are 

 conducted strictly in accordance with the rules of the association : That the formation 

 of such an association would multiply the usefulness of any experimental stations 

 which the Highland and Agricultural Society may find the means of working under the 

 plan proposed by the Directors, and disseminate more widely the practical knowledge 

 which may be acquired as the result of the experiments ; and that without loss of 

 time an invitation should be given to district societies and to individuals who may be 

 disposed to co-operate in the formation of such an association to communicate with the 

 Secretary." He was under the pleasing anticipation that the resolution might not, 

 when the opinion of the Directors was expressed upon it, be altogethei' unacceptable. 

 It was not inconsistent with the scheme of the Directors, would extend its ojierations, 

 and be a source of considerable support to it. 



The Chairman having asked if Sir Thomas Hepliurn's motion for the adopition of 

 the report was seconded. 



Colonel Innes said that he seconded the motion. 



Mr Wilson, Edington Mains, said that when he last had the opportunity of 

 expressing his views in reference to this matter, he was disposed to approve of a much 

 larger sum being given, so that a chemist of the highest qualifications shoulil be 

 engaged, whose services would be wholly at the disposal of the Society. Now that the 

 whole sum allotted by the Society for the i)uri>oses referred to in the report was L.700, 

 and they were to expend L..3()0 out of that on a chemist, he did not think it wise that 

 they should agree to that before knowing what the chemist was to do. He thought 

 that the experimental stations^ which he had desired to see in o])eration long ago, and 

 were meeting with approval throughout the country, should be fir.st put in operation. 

 Any chemical advice that was needed could then be applied for from the best chemists 

 of the country, who would lie ]>aid for it. The Society had a salaried chemist for a 



