PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 15 



Lord NapiI'^r ohjected to he asked to tie iip tlie Society to give only £250 for such 

 an object, as that might prove very inefficieut. 



Mr HADDO^% Honeyhurn, said it was evident there were details such as that sug- 

 gested by Mr Smith w'hich could best be settled by a committee. 



Mr Scott-Dudgeon, in reply to Mr Smith, said the subsidy would be to local 

 associations. It would be for the benefit of all wlio were not members of such asso- 

 ciations to become so. 



Sir James Gibson Maitland then offered to withdraw his amendment, but this being 

 objected to by Sir William Baillie, a vote was taken on the point, with the result tliat 

 the meeting declared the amendment must be put. On a division between the motion 

 as amended and the amendment, 109 voted for the motion, and 127 for the amendment. 

 The latter was therefore declared carried. The appointment of a committee was left to 

 the Directors and Mr Scott-Dudgeon, it being understood that Mr Dudgeon would 

 have the nomination of the outside members. The Rev. Mr Gillespie expressed a hope 

 that the report would be put into the hands of members at least a fortnight before the 

 general meeting. 



The Chairman said there should be no difficulty about that. 



Mr Scott-Dudgeon then moved — " In order to encourage members being practical 

 farmers to make experiments with different manures in the field, the Society resolves 

 to defray the cost of making the necessary analyses of soils, manures, and products for 

 such experimentalists, provided they conduct their experiments under the direction or 

 with the sanction of the Chemical Committee of the Society." 



This was unanimously agreed to. 



Salary of the Chemist. — Mr Mackenzie of Portmore submitted a proposal by 

 the Dii-ectors to the following effect — "To appoint an assistant in the chemical 

 laboratory at a salary of £120 ; to allow for a laboratory servant, whose time is only 

 occasionally required, £20 per annum ; and for apparatus, chemical re-agents, gas, and 

 heating £150 per annum — in all, £290." The matter, he said, was briefly this — The 

 Society agreed to give a salary of £300 to their chemist, Dr Aitken ; but at the present 

 moment he was enjoying no part of that salary, as it was entirely taken up with the 

 expenses of the laboratory. He was sure that was not a position they wished to see 

 their chemist placed in. 



Mr J. Logan Mackie, Glasgow, seconded tlie motion. 



Mr Lindsay, Meadowflat, objected to the vote until they had first a report of the 

 work done by the chemist. 



Mr Scott-Dudgeon, as a Director, could not consent to the motion until the 

 chemist's duties were properly defined. 



Mr Mackenzie said he had no objection to remit the matter to the committee, on 

 Mr Scott-Dudgeon's resolutions. 



This being agreeable to the meeting, that course was followed. 



This was all the business. 



On the motion of Lord Napier and Ettrick a cordial vote of thanks was given to- 

 the Manpiis of Lothian for presiding, and the proceedings terminated. 



GENERAL MEETING, 19th JANUARY 1881. 

 The Right Hon. Lord Napier and Ettrick, K.T., Vice-President, in the chair. 



The noble Chairman said that, before proceeding to the businevss of the meeting, he 

 thought it was riglit that he should express his deep personal regret that he had been 

 called to perform the duties of chairman in conseciuence of the aljsence of the Marquis 

 of Lothian, who had been, to his own great regret, j'revented from attending by the 

 delicate state of his health at this time. He believed, in fact, that his Lordship had 

 been ordered by his yihysiciaiis to proceed to the Continent from that cause. 



New Me.mhehs. — The Secretary then read the list of 71 gentlemen who had been 

 proposed as members of the Society, and who were uiiaiiiniously elected. 



Vote ok Thanks to the Marquis of Lothian. — The noble Chaiu.man said that, 

 before proceeding to vote on tlie election of o(Hce-Iiearers, it was his duty to i)ropose a 

 vote of thanks to the Marquis of Lothian, who this day ceased to be president of the 

 Society. The period of four years during which the Marquis of Lothian had actetl as 

 their president had not been distinguished for any reiiiarkal>le innovation or change, 

 or any unprecedented incidents to which it was necessary that he should call their 

 attention. During this year the Society ha<l continueil to prosper and llourish, to 

 increase its niimliers, and expand its financial nieaus, although in the latter respect 

 l)erha])s not in the degree they might reasonably desire. During this jieriod the 

 Society had continued to work in the well-approved grooves in which it has moved, for 



