PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 39 



The noble Chairman said he nntlerstood that Mr Dudgeon was not satisfied with 

 the report laid liofore the iiicetiug in regard to Mr Hope's motion at Perth, and he 

 wislied it to l)e remitted baek tor another report. 



Mr Ploi'E asked if it was perfectly understood that Mr Dudgeon meant the report of 

 the directors as to how they were to carry out the motion, and not tlie motion itself^ 



Mr DiUGKox said it was well known that he objected to the motion, but he wished 

 it to be i-enutted l)ack for further consideration. 



J\Ir Hope wished to know if tlie comnnttce who had reporte<l on the subject wished 

 to have liMiger time to consider it. They would all agree that if the benefits of the 

 motion were to be got for the farmers, the sooner tlie better. The comndttee would 

 be able to tell them whether by sitting on the ((Uestion other three months or si.v 

 months they would get more liglit ui)on it tlian they had now. He moved — " That 

 the recommendation of the comndttee be carried into elfect." 



Mr Ciioss said he failed to see that they could ou any principle whatever make a 

 motion to ajijirove of what had already been carried. 



The noble C^haiuman said that this was the first general meeting since the report 

 had been drawn up, and members were at liberty to say whether they approved of its 

 terms. 



Mr Bethune of Blebo said it appeared to him that the proper way would have been 

 to have withdrawn the report. He thought that if Mr Hope had heard Mr Dudgeon's 

 remarks he might have been converted to a more excellent way. 



Mr MackI'INZIE said that when the motion was referred by the directors to the 

 connuittee, they had great difficulty in nudcing out what was the e.xact meaning of the 

 motion. Tliey thought it right, liefore reconnuending the directors to take any action, 

 that it should be put before "the meeting, to see whether the directors' hiterpretatiou 

 was correct and in accordance with their desire. 



Mr M'CULLOCH, Deubie jSlains, seconded Mr Hope's motion. 



Dr Stevenson Macadam, Edinburgh, said he l)eionged to one of the oldest analytical 

 associations — he believed it was the first — the Kelso Association, which had been in 

 exi.stence since 1859. It had done an immense amount of good there. At first there 

 Avas uo end of adulteration in the district. They were threatened with actions of 

 danuiges ; but now-a-days, with the assistance of these local associations, it was very 

 ditticult for a chenast to find adulterated articles, it nught be said that in the Kelso 

 district they had stamped out adulteration so far as tlie members of that association 

 were concerned. Mr Dudgeon was within the mark when he said that an analysis 

 only cost 3s. or 4s., and the same analysis ndght benefit fifty or a hundred members. 

 Besides, with the constant communication going on Ijetween vendor and purchasers, 

 the local associations could do much more good in the various districts than could be 

 done by the Society in Edinburgh. If Mr Hope's proposal was carried out, the 

 Society would have to provide a laboratory in coimection wdth the analyses, which 

 would involve an expencliture of several hundreds of pounds. 



Mr C'LiVY, Kerchesters, said that he could corroborate the statement of Dr Mac- 

 adam, having been a member of the Kelso Association for several years. He would 

 have been inclined to move a direct negative to Mr Hope's motion, because he believed 

 that, with reference to this matter, the local associations would do, he would not say 

 better, but as well as the Highland Society. 



Mr Peile, Greenock, said lie would like to know if there was any jirospect of the 

 Highland Society publishing the results of adulterated manures. Small societies 

 that hail uo money at their back were frightened when they had an action of 

 damages raised against them, and they could not open their mouths. He thought 

 it was the duty of the mother society to protect the whole of Scotland. He quite 

 approved of what Mr Dudgeon had said. 



Mr Mackenzie said that six months ago the Highland Society adopted a scheme 

 of pulilishing cases of gross adulteration when information was given in certain forms. 

 Mr Peii.e said that no report appeared in tlie last volume. 



Mr Mackenzie said tliat it had not yet been published, but the proposal w'as a 

 standing order of tlie Society. 



Mr Hope said there was nothing in his motion that carried the semblance of 

 opposition to the local associations. His motion pointed more to the educating of 

 farmers in the processes of buying and selling. He was perfectly .sure that at the 

 present moment the; farmers of Scotland very much required the guidance and support 

 of a Society of this kind. 



On a division, Jlr Dudgeon's motion was carried by a large majority. 

 Mr Dudgeon gave notice that at next general meeting he wouhl move a resolution 

 to rescind Mr Hope's motion. 



The Experimental Stations.— Dr Aitken said that in the report which he gave 

 six months ago, he drew attention to some of the results obtained at the experimental 

 station of Harelaw by the application of various forms of phosphatic manure to 

 Swedes. These results were arranged with the \iew of instituting a comparison 



