PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 13 



that'itwas''only after the stations were to be arranged that a chemist should be ap- 

 pointed. The Aberdeen farmers found that they could get five stations, and after 

 that, and not till then, they employed a chemist. He firmly believed that the Society 

 would not get stations. In the first place, there was no money for them. The Direc- 

 tors stated"' that there was to be a sum of L.700 for a chemist and the stations. They 

 proposed to give L.300 to a chemist, and where was the other L.400? They had 

 already struck off L. 200 of the L.700, and there was only L.200 left. Was that enough 

 to carry on the work? He did not think so. They ought first to get the stations, 



and then make the appointment 



The Chairman — Do you make any motion? 



Mr MiLXE Home — No ; I only enter my protest. I warn the Directors that if they 

 agree to the proposal now made they will hear more of it at next meeting. 



Mr C. J. Mackenzie said that a great deal of what Mr Milne Home had stated was 

 inconsistent with the facts. The Directors had all along been of opinion that they 

 should have the services of a chemist competent to carry on the stations, and one who 

 could give his whole time to the work ; but if they failed to get a competent person to 

 do so, they felt that the next best thing to do was to a]jpoint one who could give 

 them a portion of his time. As to what Mr ]Milne Home had said as to Dr Anderson 

 and Mr Dewar, he did not wish to enter into that question, as it was rather a personal 

 affair. If the Society had sufiieitnt confidence in their Directors to leave to them to 

 appoint the l>est man they could get to do the work, the Society could only ask them 

 to give their confidence to the extent proposed, and they might rest satisfied that it 

 would not be abused. As to what had been said regarding Mr Dewar, that gentleman 

 was very anxious and willing to do his work, but it was because no work was provided 

 for him' that he did not do it. Therefore the mere fact that Mr Dewar did not do the 

 work did not tell against him at all. Mr Milne Home complained that he got no notice 

 of the present proposal, but the only notice the Directors could give was the publica- 

 tion in the new.-,papers of the resolution of the last meeting of the Directors, from 

 which it would be seen that they intended to make the proposal. They had taken the 

 only means they had of making known their intention. As to the objection that 

 there Avas no need to appoint a cliemist at present, it struck him that they must liegin 

 somewhere. It was working in a circle, and they must break it at some point. If 

 they could not get a chemist to give his advice, what was the \ise of getting the land ? 

 It was very likely they would get the land gratuitously, and they had no intention to 

 appoint a chemist till they saw that they could get work for him. They had already 

 had oflers of land, and they must have powers to appoint a competent chemist before 

 they arranged as to the stations. They could then put into operation the plans of 

 Sir Thomas Hepljurn. There were none of the Chemical Committee who could 

 imdertake the organisation and direction of these matters without the professional 

 aid of a cliemist ; and if they were allowed to appoint such a man, the Directors 

 would put him into work at once. 



Mr AL\.S0N, Corstorphine Hill, said he did not think that they would get a chemist 

 fov L.300 a year— L. 500 was more like the sum they should offer. There were many 

 men who did little or nothing, and little better than labourers, who got L.2 a week for 

 their work, and how could tliey expect that they could get a man well skilled in 

 chemistry to do what they wanted for L.300 a year? In connection with this 

 matter, if they could get one hundred men to give L.IO each, he would be his 

 share. 



Mr Melvin, Bonnington, said he thought there was a good deal of truth in what 

 Mr Mason ha<l said, and he had always held that there shoidd not be less than L.500 

 olTered to a chemist. He very much agreed with what Mr Milne had said, but he 

 did not entirely agree with him. He did not see why the scheme of experimental 

 stations could be set agoing without a head. He did not supi)ose that they could 

 a.sk any of the Directors to take the charge. They wante«l an otlicial who could bo 

 tiken to ta>k if the work was neglected. A practical agiicultural chemist was the 

 first person they shouM apjtoint, but he did not see why they should take merely a 

 portion of hi.s time, which would likely be the fag part of it. They wanted an ener- 

 getic young man to carry out the organi.sation of the scheme. Profe.ssor Anderson was 

 a very al>le man in liis own dei>artment, but he did not study agricultural chemistry 

 in Huch a wav as to .satisfy the wants of the agriculturists of ScDtland. He did not 

 think that the Society was so very liard up as not to be able to give L.500 a year to 

 a chemist, lie hatl seen that within the last ten years they had ad<UMl nearly 

 L.20,0()() t(» th»- funds of the Society. In the year 1864-65 the funds amcnintcd to about 

 L. 49, 000, an<l in the last report they were stated at L.68.(KK). Here they had L. 19,000 

 added to the funds of the Society, and he thought that they should not go on 

 sUirving the ])rogre.ss of science in agricultural matters by hoanling up their money, 

 but that they might be a little more liberal and give L.500 for the chemist, an<l L.50O 

 for the exiieiiineiital stations. If they then found it necessary to do more they could 

 then apply to the liberality of Mr Mu^ou. 



