PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 29^ 



unless they followed this arrangement, and lie believed that they would get an efficient 

 chemist for the purpose at the sum they projjosed. 



Mr Greig, Harvieston, doubted the competency of the committee bringing up 

 this question again, seeing that it was not remitted to them at last meeting. 



A MEMBER— The whole matter was remitted to them. 



The Hon. George Waldegrave Leslie — Will this chemist have to give his whole 

 time to the Society, or will he be allowed to do other work ? 



Mr Binning Home of Argaty asked how these experimental stations were to be con- 

 ducted '? Were they to be conducted by individuals who were to undertake farms 

 under the direction of the chemist, and have the results reported to him ; or was it the 

 Society that was to undertake the working of these experimental farms ? He could 

 not see how it was possil.ile that such experiments could lie worked to any extent 

 without a monstrous outlay. Such experiments made under the auspices of the 

 Society would no doubt be a great blessing to the country at large, but if they were 

 confined to small patches in given places he could see no benefit that would accrue. 



Mr Mackenzie— These are mattei's of detail that can be more properly dealt with 

 after we have got the machinery. 



The Hon. George Waldegrave Leslie— I should like to get an answer to my 

 question— Whether the chemist would give his whole time to the Society, as Dr 

 Voelcker gave to the Royal English Agricultural Society ? 



Mr Mackenzie — We think that should ha so. 



Colonel Innes of Learney said that a good deal of the difference of opinion that had 

 for several years prevented" their coming to a conclusion on this matter had arisen from 

 the wanfof a distinct understanding as to what the duties of this person who was called 

 a scientific chemist should be. He pointed out, from the facilities now existing for 

 obtaining analyses, that there was not the same necessity now as there was in the 

 earlier period of scientific agricultural chemistry for the Society engaging a scientific 

 chemist to analyse manures to protect farmers from imposition ; and then went on to 

 ask, What is the benefit the Directors expect to have from a chemist '! They had an 

 example of what had taken place in an association formed in the county of Aberdeen. 

 They had engaged a scientific man whose duties were to organise and superintend the 

 conducting of these experimental stations, and afterwards, by analyses and scientific 

 investigation, to bring out the results. That was, he understood, what the Directors 

 were to engage this ofhcial to do. The question therefore was, whetlier his duties 

 should be limited to these functions or not '( If the Highland and Agricultural Society 

 established experimental stations, to be conducted directly by their own officials, 

 they would fall very far short of what was necessary if they did not also take steps 

 to generalise and compare the results they obtained themselves with the experi- 

 ments obtained by other associations. Differences would arise from circumstances of 

 climate and of soil, and the various observations would exhibit very considerable 

 variation. If no means were taken by a: previous arrangement to get at the average 

 results of these different experiments, they would, instead of arriving at any useful 

 conclusion, only obscure and mystify the results. It might be necessary for them 

 to take the function of a great national society, and bring into one common focus 

 the experiments instituted in all parts of the country. That would be quite 

 sufficient employment for any one man. If they offered to any competent man of 

 high attainments such employment as that, and gave him a certainty that it would last 

 for a certain period of years, he had no doubt a comparatively small direct payment 

 of salary would secure tlie services of the man they wanted, because the conduct of such 

 experiments on such a large scale, and the character he would establish liy obtaining 

 large and useful results, would of itself lie a great reward. He moved — " That 

 the meeting approve of the report of the Directors, subject to the condition that the 

 engagement of a chemist shall be for a limited period, and shall embrace the en- 

 tire services of the person employed, and that this employment shall be limited to the 

 organisation and management of the stations established by the Highland and Agri- 

 cultural Society, and to the arrangements which may Ije necessary to'make with othei- 

 associations, and the necessary analyses and scientific investigations required ; and 

 further recommend that the application of the Aberdeenshire Association for aid may 

 receive early and favourable consideration." 



Mr Wilson, Edington Mains, said that they were now discussing this question under 

 different conditions from what were before them at last meeting. Some who opposeil 

 the proposal then had the idea that they were to go on the old footing of ajipointing a 

 chemist at a salary of L.300 a-year, who was only to devote a certain portion of his 

 time to the services of the Society, and was to have very much at his own choice the 

 time he was to give them. They tried that system for a whole generation, and the 

 result was literally nothing. He had no doubt that a chemist of the Society would 

 furnish to the individuals who sent him samples a reliable report ; but there wei'e 

 local associations employing chemists, who not only afforded the individuals applying 

 to them the result of their "analyses, but sent a confidential communication to every 



