PEOCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 23 



tlioiiglit tlie Directors would keep that in view in making the appointment. It was 

 desiralile to have a chemist, if they were to carry out their experiments with anything 

 like uniformity at the different stations. 



Mr Grkig (of Messrs Fowler & Co.) remarked with reference to the observation that 

 members of the Society received benefit by getting analyses at reduced charges, that 

 other chemists gave analyses at the same rates as the chemist of the Society. If the 

 motion of Mr Wilson were carried, he hoped the Directors would see that they had the 

 services of a chemist exclusively. 



Mr Walker of Bowland stated that the universal opinion of the members of the 

 Society, which numbered 4000, and of whom a very small proportion were present, 

 was in favour of tlie experimental stations. The appointment of a chemist as an 

 officer of the Society was of great importance for the purpose of securing trustworthy 

 analyses and consultation. As to the remark of the last speaker that the members of 

 the Society derived no benefit by the appointment of a chemist, the result had been 

 that the other chemists in Scotland had come down to the rates adopted by the 

 Society. 



Mr GooDLET, Bolshan, thought tliere must be a chemist at the head of affixirs in 

 connection with these experimental stations if they were to be carried on successfully. 

 But he quite agreed with the proposal of Mr Milne Home and Mr Wilson in the mean- 

 time, because he thought that the amount of money which the Society could attbixl to 

 the experimental stations was so small tiiat they would never be able to carry them 

 out with efficiency. 



Sir Thom.vs Hepburn pointed out that the appointment was made yearly, and said 

 that if the chemist did not perform the duties given to him by the Directors in the 

 carrying out of the experimental stations, there was no necessity for his services being 

 continued. 



Mr Robertson, Newmain.s, apjiroved of Mr Melvin's luotion for delay. 



Captain Tod of Howden suggested that there should be a special general meeting to 

 consider the suliject at Glasgow. 



On a division, taken by show of hands, 21 voted fur the amendment of Mr Melvin, 

 and 38 against. The amendment of Mr Melvin was therefore lost, and a division took 

 place between Sir Thomas Hepburn's motion, that the report be approved of, and 

 the amendment of Mr Wilson. The amendment of Mr Wilson was carried by 33 to 3i). 



Mr Walker suggested that, seeing the vote was so close, the members should take 

 different sides of tlie house, and the nundjers recounted; but, after some discussion, 

 the Hon. Waldegrave Leslie moved that they proceed to the next business, which was 

 agreed to. 



Colonel Innes then brought forward the motion which he had read at the opening of 

 the discussion in regard to the chemical department. He said that the tenor of his 

 proposal was to place in the hands of the Directors the power of forming and organising 

 an association which would join with the Society in the support and extension of the 

 scheme of experimental stations. 



Mr Wilson said he thought the projjosal, if cari'ied out, would simply be setting up 

 a rival to the Society. At all events, the local societies should come to the Directors of 

 the Highland Society with a definite proposal. 



Mr Milne Home said he approved of the object, although not in the form proposed 

 by Colonel Innes, and he thought it should be remitted to the Directors. 



Colonel Innes made several alterations on his motion, including the deletion of the 

 reference to the appointment of a chemist. 



It was ultimately agreed to remit the matter to the Directors to deal with it, so far 

 as consistent with the resolution the meeting had already come to with regard to the 

 chemical department. 



Resignation of Professor Dewar.— Sir Thomas Hepburn said — I regret to 

 intimate the resignation of Professor Dewar, who has been appointed to a Professorshiji 

 in the University of Cambridge. When the'announcement was read by the Directors, a 

 resolution was adopted expressing their sense of the value of his services, and their 

 regret at the loss to the Society of so distinguished a chemist. They at the same time 

 congratulated him on his appointment to such an honourable position. The resignation 

 does not take efi'ect till November, and the Society will have the benefit of Professor 

 Dewar's sei'vices till then. 



Pi'ofessor Dewar read the following rejiort : — Chemical Laboratory, Clyde Street 

 Hall, Edinburgh, 16ih June 1875. — I have to report that the work of the chemical 

 department during the last six months has been steadily on the increase, and that as 

 an illustration of the laboratory work, I may state that during the last three weeks 

 twenty samples of manures and feeding stutts have been analysed. No serious cases of 

 adulteration have come under my observation, if we except the very inferior charactei' 

 of some samples of guano. For instance, a sample of Penguin guano, containing as 

 much as 32 per cent, of sand and clay, had an estimated value of L.5 per ton ; whereas 

 the market value nuai'ked on the specimen was L.IO per ton. As the composition of 



