50 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE |Szss. rxrx. 
number of them are to be found in the “ Transactions” of 
the Highland and Agricultural Society. In the year 1879, 
Dr. Aitken delivered, in the chambers of that Society, a series 
of lectures on chemistry as applied to agriculture, extracts 
from which appeared in the “ North British Agriculturist” of 
that year. For the last three years Dr. Aitken delivered 
another course of lectures on “Feeding and Fodder,’ under 
the auspices of Edinburgh and East of Scotland Agricultural 
College. He also conducted a course of chemistry for the 
gardeners at the Royal Botanic Gardens. At the time of 
his death he was conducting an experiment on the improve- 
ment of pasture, and also an investigation into the composition 
of frosted and unfrosted oats. 
Dr. Aitken was an exceedingly able lecturer. His never- 
failing energy, quickness of perception, clearness of speech, 
and happiness of expression, were invaluable in imparting 
his knowledge to others, which he did with an ease and 
attractiveness rarely equalled; and the order he preserved in 
the class-room was remarkable, and was attained without 
any apparent effort. He was also one of the most accessible 
of men, always ready to give help and advice to any one 
requiring it. 
The great work of Dr. Aitken’s life was, however, much 
more closely connected with the Highland and Agricultural 
Society of Scotland, where he held the appointment of chemist 
to the Society for a period of about twenty-seven years. 
I am indebted to Dr. Robert Shirra Gibb, one of the directors 
of the Society, and also a member of the Science Committee, 
for the following notes on Dr. Aitken’s connection with this 
Society and with agriculture generally. Dr. Andrew P. 
Aitken was appointed consulting chemist to the Society in 
1877. His work, previous to that date, had been of such a 
kind as to indicate that he was the most suitable, in fact, 
the only suitable, candidate for the post then vacant. He 
had studied chemistry, from the agricultural point of view, 
both in Germany and in our own country; and had, at that 
early period, gained, in large degree, the confidence and 
regard of many of the more prominent farmers of that day, 
by whom he was being consulted on various matters of a 
chemical and botanical nature in connection with their 
farm operations. 
