166 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



from a Beekeeper in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire, who says — 

 " My bees have been costly bees to me this season, as I have had to 

 feed them all summer, and the prospects are no better now. Out of 1 7 

 hives I sent to the heather, one is dead, three have made from 3 to 

 8 lbs., the remainder are worse than when they were taken away. 

 Bings of dead lie at all our hives, and the enclosure where they are 

 is strewn with their bodies." I am sorry to hear such accounts. 

 Another gentleman told me a cottager was about to destroy 10 

 stocks, but I told him I would willingly give him 10s. each for 

 them rather than hear of such barbarity. 



Is it not time our Government were wakening up and establishing 

 experts throughout the length and breadth of the land, especially 

 in Ireland, so that honey may no longer be one of our imports, 

 when, in a good season, hundreds of tons might be secured if we 

 had only bees to collect it, and farmers qualified to take care of 

 them. 



Although this year has been one of unparalleled honey-famine 

 in Scotland, let us hope there are seven years of plenty yet in store 

 for us. 



II. — The cultivation of the Potato in its Native Country (embody- 

 ing a communication from Mr. John King, British Vice-Consul, 

 Carrizal, Bajo, Chile), by Mr. Thomas King. 



In a paper on the Flora of Chile, read before the Society some 

 time ago, I had occasion to mention the potato as a Chilian plant. 

 I made some remarks on its cultivation, and stated that during a 

 residence of eight years in Chile I had never heard of the potato 

 disease. I also suggested means by which its recurrence in this 

 country might possibly be prevented. However there were some 

 points on which I wished to possess more definite information, so 

 last winter I wrote to my brother, who has lived upwards of twenty 

 years in Chile, asking him to make inquiries. I also sent him the 

 blue-book on the potato crop issued by our Government last autumn. 

 He obtained the desired information, and a fortnight since I received 

 from him the following communication : — 



"Carrizal, Bajo, July 27, 1881. 

 " I am now able to give you the result of my inquiries regarding 

 the cultivation of .the potato in Chile, . • 



