niOCEEDINGS AT GENKKAl, .MKETIXGS. 21 



plots in tlie ordinary way, the result -would not have been very satisfactory. As it 

 hai^peued, the Chemical Committee determined not to apply any manures to the grass 

 crop last year, but considered it preferal>le to note the effects of the former manurings 

 upon the bulk and character of the hay crop. Owing to this circumstance, the value 

 ot the bay experiments was very little atfected by the drought. On the small plots 

 the crop was turnips, for which tlie various manures under experiment were applied. 

 Another series of small plots similar to those at the Society's stations were put under 

 turnips at Liberton, and all were secured and sampled in good condition. On the home 

 farm of the Marquis of Tweeddale at Yester an excellent series of experiments, similar 

 to six of the more important plots at our own stations, was carried out on two different 

 kinds of soil. They were under the direction of Mr Swinton, and have produced 

 results of a very well-marked and interesting character. Another series of experiments 

 with turnips grown upon various soils in Forfarshire, under the direction of Mr 

 Lawson, Sandyford, and very similar in their character to some of tlie Society's experi- 

 ments, were approved by the Chemical Committee, and samples of them all were 

 received for analysis. There have thus been sev^en different stations at which experi- 

 ments with turnips have been carried out in connection with the investigations under- 

 taken by the Society, and samples of these, amounting to about 3000 turnips, are at 

 l^resent being analysed in the laboratory. The results already obtained differ widely 

 in several important particulars, and show the need for greatly increasing the number 

 of similar experiments throughout the country. I hope the time is near when we 

 shall have our experiments repeated in every county of Scotland, and when the special 

 work carried on at the Society's own stations shall be of a kind less affected by soil, 

 situation, and climate, and more intimately concerned in the solution of scientific 

 questions arising out of the practice of agriculture. 

 Chemical Department. — Mr Mackenzie of Portmore read the 



Report by Special Committee appointed to consider and report on Mr Scott 

 Dudgeon's proposed Resolutions as to Chemical Analyses ; and on the proposal 

 by the Directors to give the Chemist an allowance for Assistants and Laboratory 

 Expenses ; and moved its adoption. The Report is as follows : — 



Resolution by, and Proceedings at, General Meeting. 

 At the General Meeting held at Kelso, on the "iSth July 1880, the following 

 resolution was adopted: — "The Society being satisfied that the benefits which 

 chemical analyses are calculated to confer on agriculture can be more widely difl'used 

 and more economically accomplished through the agency of local analytical associa- 

 tions than by the carrying out of the resolution adopted at the General Meeting at 

 Perth, resolves to rescind such resolution ; and remits the whole subject matter 

 embraced in the remainder of Mr Scott Dudgeon's proposed resolutions to the 

 I)irectors, with the recommendation that they aiqtoint a committee, composed one- 

 half of their own body and one-half of members who are not in the Directorate, to 

 consider and report to a subsecpient General Meeting of tl:e Society." It was after- 

 wards agreeil that Mr Scott Dudgeon should have the nomination of members not on 

 the Directorate, and that the committee should name their own chairman. It was 

 also remitted to the same committee to consider an<l rejiort on a proposal by the 

 Directors to give the chemist an allowance for assistants and laboratory expen>es. 



Mr Scott Dudgeon's I'rojjosed lU'snhdiims. 

 Mr Dudgeon's ])roposed resolutions were in the following terms : — 



I. The Society being satisfied that the benefits which chemical analyses are 

 calrulateil to confer on agricrlture, can be more widely diffused and more ecojioniically 

 accomplished thnjugh the agency of local analytical associations than In' the cairy- 

 iiig out of the resolution ad(jpted at the General Meeting at Perth, resolves to rescind 

 .such resolution; and, further, with the view of encouraging as well as regulating the 

 conduct of these as.sociations, resolves to contribute from its funds towards their 

 expenses. 



II. That the amount of such contribution shall be to eacli assoi-iation at the rate 

 of r»s. for ea'h full analysis, and of "Js. Gd. lor each partial analysis of manure or 

 feeding-stuff effected, juovided the a.ssociation .shall .satisfy the Chemical Coniuiittee 

 of the Society on the following jtoints : — 



1. That the analyst employed is of acknowledged stiinding. 



'1. That the association is managed by a conimittee of practical farmers occupy- 

 ing lan<l in the district. 



3. That analyses are only made for farmers, and that these suUscribe towards the 



expenses of tin- association. 



4. That each analysis rej)resents nt least 2 tons of bulk actually purchased by 



guarantee by one or more meml»ers, and that the analysis has i)een made from 

 a fairly drawn sample, of which a <luplicate has bi en retained. 



