16 PEOCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 



gentlemen passed :— Alexander Chivas, Peterhead ; Owen Coll, Bmree, Limerick ; 

 John Edward Grey, Edinburgh; William Hunter, Newcastle-on-Tyne ; A.J. Kelly, 

 Navan, County Meath ; William Stuart Low, Burntisland ; James M'Bryde, Mochrum; 

 John M'Fadyean, Newton-Stewart ; James Murray, Castlehill, Caithness ; Robert 

 Rain, Castle-Douglas ; Henry Snarry, Malton ; George Watson, Middlesborough ; 

 George W. Watson, Orkney ; Daniel Webster, Riccall, York. The two medium gold 

 medals given to the students who passed the best practical and the best general exami- 

 ]iation were awarded as follow : —Best Practical Examination — Robert Rain, Castle- 

 Douglas. Best General Examination — John M'Fadyean, Barrachan, Newton-Stewart. 



This report Avas also adopted. 



Steam Cultivation. — The Hon. Geo. Waldegrave Leslie asked if there was any 

 arrangement for the exhibition at Aberdeen of agricultural implements worked by 



.steam ? 



The Secretary — I believe there is to be an exhibition of steam apparatus at Aber- 

 deen if land can be obtained for the purpose. 



The Hon. Waldegrave Leslie said he was glad to hear that there was the prospect 

 of such an exhibition. 



Transactions. — Mr Fori es Irvine having had to leave the meeting, Mr F. N. 

 Menzies laid on the table the 8th volume of the Transactions, and stated that it had 

 been sent to all members who had applied for it. 



The Hon. George Waldegrave Leslie then moved a vote of thanks to the Chair- 

 man, and the meeting separated 



GENERAL MEETING, 17th JANUARY 1877. 



His Grace the Duke op Buccleuch and Queensberrt, K.G., in the Chair. 



Election of Members.— Eighty-seven noblemen and gentlemen were balloted for 

 in the manner prescribed by the charter and bye-law, and admitted as members. 



Vote of Thanks to the Prince of Wales. -The Noble Chairman moved the 

 adoption of the following resolution :— " That his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 

 having presided over the Society for the period of four years prescribed by the charter, 

 thereby sustaining the dignity and promoting the interests of the Society, the cordial 

 thanks of the meeting are eminently due to his Royal Highness on retiring from office." 

 His Grace went on to say that it was of very great importance to the country, and also 

 to the Societj^, that they should have had the advantage of the countenance of the 

 Prince of Wales as their president. His Royal Highness fully intended to have been 

 present at the meeting of the Society on one occasion particularly, and he had made 

 arrangements to attend, Avhen circumstances occurred to prevent him. They must all 

 deplore his absence, but they knew, from his having accepted the office of president, the 

 interest he had taken in the Society, and what his feelings were generally with regard 

 to Scotland. 



The resolution was unanimously agreed to. 



Election of President.— ]Mr Mackenzie of Portmore said he had much pleasure 

 in proposing for the office of president of the Society a nobleman worthy in every- 

 point of view to fill it — namely, the Most Noble the Marquis of Lothian. 



Mr Erskine of Cardross seconded the motion. He said he believed it would be the 

 unanimous feeling of the meeting that a more worthy successor of the Prince of Wales 

 as president of the Society could not be got than Lord Lothian. They had had many 

 25roofs of the interest he had taken in the Society, and he believed that imder the noble 

 Lord's presidency the prosperity of the Society would be continued. 



The motion was imanimously agreed to, and the Marquis of Lothian took the chair 

 id loud applause. 



The Noble Chairman said that the first duty that fell to him to perform in his new 

 office was to thank the meeting in the most cordial manner for electing him president 

 of the Society. When he first'received the communication from the Directors asking 

 him if he would accept the office if ofi'ered to him, his first inclination, not as a matter 

 of feeling merely, but of heart, Avas that there were many others more capable than he 

 was oiuudertaking the office, but he felt, at the same time, that the matter lay with the 

 Directors and the meeting; and that if they elected him he could not do otherwise 

 than accept the office. He could not sufficiently express his gratification at haying 

 been unanimously elected. At the same time, he felt that the office of president of the 

 Society was not entirely an honorary one, but that there were responsibilities attached 

 to it also. He felt the weight of these responsibilities, in consequence of the illustrious 

 names of those who had held the office" before him, both in regard to position and 

 experience in agricultural operations. He could, however, say that in accepting the 

 ofiice to which thev had done him the honour to elect him, it would be his endeavour 

 as far as he could to advance the objects of the Society. It was impossible but that 



