THE EDINBURGH SOCIETY. 37 



becomes an extraordinary manager ; Lord Auchinleck, 

 Bozzy's father, is in the Hst of extraordinary managers ; 

 Mr Alex. Tait is still designated clerk to the managers, 

 but ]\Ir Walter Goodall is designed ' Secretary to the 

 General ^Meetings of the Society.' 'Sir Goodall, who is 

 well known as a historical writer, was son of ]\Ir John 

 Goodall, Ordiquhill, Banffshire. 



In 1757 the Society awarded a premium for the best 

 draught stallion kept for hire, to William Duncan, stabler 

 in Edinburgh. The prize for the greatest number of 

 calves fed and sold to the butcher was won by Thomas 

 Hodge, Ravelstone, Midlothian. A sum of £10, offered 

 ' to the farmer who should bring to any market in Scotland 

 the greatest quantity of potatoes, not under fifty bolls, on 

 or before 20th August,' was won by Thomas Graham of 

 Thomrawer, Kilsyth ; a second premium being awarded 

 to John Birrel, Dairy Mill, Edinburgh. A premium of 

 four guineas for best red clover was gained by Mungo 

 Ponton, Carrick Knolls, Saughton Hall. These are the 

 only awards in 1757 bearing on agriculture ; but it may be 

 interesting to add that this year the Society had a success- 

 ful competitor for their gold medal for ' the best essay on 

 Taste,' which was adjudged to Professor Gerard,* Aberdeen. 



In 1758 the premiums offered by the Society con- 

 sisted of 138 articles, among which only the following had 

 reference to agriculture. A premium of fifteen guineas for 

 the best draught stallion let for hire was given to Alex. 

 Stewart, Esq., for a bay stallion ; and a prize of ten 

 guineas for the best stallion for saddle horses was won by 

 David Gun, coach-master in Edinburgh, for a grey stallion. 

 Mr Peter Alison in Angus had a gold medal awarded him 

 ' for an iron plough invented by him.' ]\Ir Alexander 

 Walker, tenant in Auquhiry, had a prize of ;^io for 

 planting, a prize formerly won b\- him ;-f and the second 



* The elder Gerard, Dr Alexander. He was a native of Chapel of 

 Garioch, Aberdeenshire; was appointed in 1752 Professor of Xatural Philoso- 

 phy in Marischal College, and in 1760 was transferred to the Chair of Divinity 

 in King's College, Aberdeen an appointment he held till his death in 1795. 



t See page 34. 



