PROCEEDINGS AT liOAIlD MEETINGS. 5 



Veterinary C'(jllcf;e, Clyde Street, Edinburgli. Tlie Coniinittue also suggested that in 

 all cases where a member of the Society lias submitted to the chemist of the Society 

 a samjile of the manure or feeding .stulf, along with tlic written guarantee under 

 which ho purchased it, and upon analysis the said manure or feediug stuff is found not 

 to coiucide with the written guarantee within certain limits to be hereafter determined, 

 the cliemist shall forward the analysis to the seller for explanation, and shall report 

 tlie case, along with the written guarantee, his analysis, and the explanation of the 

 seller (if any), to the Directors for disposal. The Committ ;e further suggested that 

 publicity should be given to the proposed action, if adopted, and that, where 

 necessary, the name of the defaulter should Iw published iu the newsjiaper report of the 

 Directors' lueeting. 



Dr AiTKKN remarked that from various communications which lie had received from 

 farmers and manure merchants in various parts of the country, he believed thatthe action 

 which was being taken by the Directors on this remit, from the general meeting would 

 be very acceptable to mendiers of the Society interested in this matter. He hoped, 

 liowever, that it would be clearly understood that the Society, in dealing with this .suVj- 

 ject, haii no de.sire whatever to interfere with the working of the various agricultural as- 

 sociations throughout the country, which had been very beneficial to farmers, and were 

 doing good wdiIc in giving their members some control over the (juality of the manures 

 supplied to them, although there were frequent complaints regarding the secret, trades'- 

 iinion-likfl n)anner in which this was done. He believed that in dealing with 

 respectable manure merchants farmers were, on the whole, very fairly treated in 

 regard to manures, and that the frequent reports to the contrary were mucli 

 exaggerated. The most univer.sal complaint was against the chemists themselves, who 

 were often found to differ very widely in their analysis of the same sample of 

 manure. Examples of this which had come under his notice were sufficient to shake 

 the confidence of farmers in the value of chemical analysis, and to bring the 

 profession into contempt. It was possible that the cause of these discrepancies 

 might arise from inaccurate or careless methods of analyses ; but his experience led 

 him to think that they were mostly due to imperfect sampling. To obtain a perfectly 

 fair sample of a manure from bulk was a dillicult matter, and had to lie gone about 

 with great care. The common method of taking a handful of manure from the top of 

 a certain number of bags was a Viad one, since f^rom tlit^ shaking and vibration during 

 transit that part of the manure was often least liable to yield a fair sample of 

 the whole. For the instruction of members he had written a few short directions 

 upon this matter, which, if carefully carried out would, he believed, greatly diminish 

 the causes of complaint regarding discreiuuit analyses. He had also prepared a few 

 instructions with the view of enabling members unacquainted with chemistry to 

 interpret the results of analyses of manures as usually sujiplied in analjlical 

 reports. He thought if these were considered in Committee, and receivefl the 

 approval of the Directors, tliej' would he found very useful. There was another 

 matter which he thought might be similarly dealt with, viz., the adoption of a 

 series of units wherewith to value manures. It was no part of a chemist's 

 business to value manures; but if an equitable Eseries of units were fixed for the 

 constituents of the various kinds of manures, and .adjusted from time to time by 

 the Committee, which was quite capable of undertaking that duty with such 

 assi.stance as it had at its command, it would enable the chemist to affix to manures 

 values wiiich 'would be satisfactory alike to buyers and sellers. 



Mr Mackenzie of Portmore reported that he had been making various inquiries 

 relative to how the matter should be carried out ; and the Directors remitted back 

 to the Committee to frame a plan of procedure, and report to next meeting. 



Agricultural Education — Dijihnna and Certif rates. — A meeting of the Society's 

 Council on Agricultural Education was held immediately after the Directors' meeting, 

 when the report of the examiners was submitted, from which it appeared that the 

 examination of candidates for the diploma and certificates in agriculture took place 

 on the 31st March and 1st and 2d April, and resulted in five gentlemen passing for 

 the diploma, two for first class, and three for second class certificates. 



Veterinary DI'I-autment. — The Secretary intimated that the annual piiblic 

 examination of candiilates for the Society's veterinary certificate would be held in 

 the Societj-^s Hall on Monday the 7th curt., and that the practical examination would 

 take place the same day in Mr Buist's auction mart, Lauriston. 



Perth Show, 1879. — The Board approved of the usual letters to the conveners 

 of the counties embraced in the district connected with the Show, and to the ]..ord 

 Provost of Perth iu regard to the appointment of the local committee. The numbers 

 to be named by the diflerent counties were arranged as follow : — Eastern division of 

 Perthshire, 10; western division of Forfarshire, S ; Fifesliire, 10; Kinross-shire, 4; 

 and city of Perth, 6. 



Kelso Show, ISSO. — Letters to the conveners of the coimtics connected with 

 the Show, in5regard to the auxiliary subscription, were submitted and approved. . 



