PllOCEKDINGS AT BOARD MEETINGS. 



MEETING OF DIRECTORS, 4th APRIL 1883. 



Present — Sir W. C. Anstrutlier, Bart.; Sir James H. Gibson-Craig, Bart.; Sir 

 George Macpherson Grant, Bart., M.P. ; Mr Ainslie of Costerton ; Mr Balfour of 

 Balbiruie ; Lieutenant-General Burroughs of Rousay, C.B. ; Mr Dingwall, Ramornie ; 

 Mr Scott Dudgeon, Longnewton ; Mr Dudgeon, Easter Dalmeny ; Mr Easson, Scones 

 Lethendy ; Mr Elliot, Blackliaugh ; Mr Fornian, Duncrahill ; Colonel Gillon of 

 Wallhouse ; Mr Henderson of Stemster ; Mr Hope, East Barns ; Mr Mylne, Niddrie 

 -IVlains ; Mr Nicoll, Littleton ; Mr Paterson, Plean Farm ; Major Rose of Kilravock ; 

 3Ir Shaw, Skaithmuir ; Mr J. Turnbull Smith, C A. ; Mr Campbell Swinton of 

 Kimmerghame ; MrVilliers, Closeburu Hall; Mr Walker, Portlethen ; Mr Wilson, 

 Wolfstar ; and Professor Wilson. —Mr Scott Dudgeon in the chair. 



Mr F. N. Menziks reported apologies for the absence of the Hon. G. R. Vernon ; 

 Sir Henry J. Seton Steuart, Bart. ; Mr Cunningham, Tarbreoch ; Mr Johnstone 

 Douglas of Lockerbie; Mr Drew, Merryton ; Mr Farquharson of Haughton ; Mr 

 Forbes of CuUoden ; Rev, John Gillespie, Mouswald ; Mr Irvine of Drum ; 

 Mr Mackenzie of Portmore, Mr M' Queen of Crofts ; Mr Martin of Auchendennan, 

 3Ir Mollison, Dochgarroch Lodge ; Mr Pott of Dod ; Mr Scott, Glendronach ; and 

 JVIr Walker of Rowland, C.B. 



Inverness Show, 1883 — Letters to the conveners of the counties connected with 

 Ihe Show — Inverness, Elgin, Nairn, Ross and Cromarty, Caithness, Sutherland, 

 and Orkney and Shetland — and to the Provost of Inverness, in regard to the nomi- 

 nation of the Local Committee, were submitted and approved of. 



Edinburgh Show, 1884.— The Board approved of letters being addressed to the 

 conveners of the counties embraced in the district of the Show — Edinburgh, 

 Haddington, an«l Linlithgow — and to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh— anent the 

 auxiliary subscription. 



Report of Trial of Seed-Cleaners. — The following report was read : — The 

 adjourned trial of seed-cleaning machines took place on Wednesday, 7th March 

 1883, in the premises of Mr Robert T. Mackintosh, seedsman, 10 Melbourne Place, 

 Edinburgh, kindly placed at the disposal of the Society for that purpose. The 

 judges were Messrs Thomas Mylne, Niddrie Mains ; John Scott Dudgeon, Long- 

 newton ; Alexander Dudgeon, Easter Dalmeny ; James Shaw, Skaithmuir ; and 

 H. Hogg Shaw, Cohistream. Mr R. T. Mackintosh also attended. Messrs John 

 Kichardson k Son, Carlisle, brought forward two machines, driven by hand, 

 aiumbered 285 and 286 in catalogue of Glasgow Show — the former of which was 

 tried with ryegrass and with clover seeds, the latter with clover seeds only. No. 

 285 machine is tittetl with a set of three or more sieves placed in steps and stairs 

 in the same slo])iiig frame. This frame oscillates lengthways with a heaving .>)0]t 

 of motion, by which a heavy-headed seed (such as wire-grass), when dropping 

 from one sieve to another, is made to fall on its heavy head, and so pass more 

 readily through the meshes of the sieve. This machine is chiefly intended for 

 ryegrass seed-s, and to do the chaffing, riddling, and screening at one operation. 

 By changes of sieves and riddles, it may be made to drop other agricultural seeds, 

 «uch as turnip seeds and clovers. It is light to drive, aud not expensive, the 

 price being £16, 10s. with one .set of sieves and riddles (other sizes of sieves and 

 riddles extra). The other machine is a combined machine intended to dress 

 either corn or small seeds. It is also light, easily driven, and costs £12, 10s. 

 The judges do not consider it nearly equal to tlie other as a seed cleaner, and 

 they had no opportunity for testing it as a dresser of corn. The perennial 

 ryegrass seed was very foul, and contained a considerable quantity of hair grass, 

 goose grass, Ijuttercup, Yorkshire fog, and other noxious weeds. By being 

 passed twice through No. 285 machine, a large portion of these foreign seeds was 

 removed, and the resulting sample of ryegrass seed was very much improved, aud 

 made com})aratively clean. The clover seed operateil on was old (.ierman red, 

 verv dirty and full of seeds of weeds, and neither machine was very successful 

 with it. On the whole, the judges were of opinion that No. 285 machine made 

 good work with ryegrass seeds, hut that it will re(|uire improvement both in the 

 blowing anil in the screening apparatus to bring it up to an equa'ity with tlie less 

 simple but more effective power-driven machines useil in the large seed-cleaning 

 warehouses. 'VXw.x do not, therefore, consider tlRinselvcs justiticd in awarding to 

 it any of the i»rizes ollVred for comptitition at Glasgow Show. Its merit is, haw- 

 ever, 80 very cousideral)le that they recommend the Directors to make a sj>ecial 

 grant of £10 to .Messrs J. Richardson & Son, in recognition of such merit, aud as an 

 encouragement to their efforts for its further improvement. 



The Board conhrmed the award in favour of Messrs J. Kicliard.son k Son. 



FooT-AND-Motrn Diskvsk.— On the motion of Mr Scott Didijkon, Longn.'wton, 

 ueconded by .Mr Bai.koir of Halbirnie, the H«iard unanimously p;i.ssed the following 

 resolution :— "Tliat, in view of the great spread of foot-and-mouth disease throughout the 



