CHAPTER III. 



EARLY PREMIUMS AWARDED BY THE SOCIETY. 



We resume our narrative of the proceedings of the High- 

 land Society. At a meeting of the General Committee of 

 the Society held on loth January 1785, Dr Gregory Grant, 

 physician, Edinburgh, moved that the Society should 

 direct their attention to the objects of its institution, and 

 should give encouragement by premiums in money, medals, 

 or otherwise, for improvements in the Highlands, in such 

 branches and articles as should be selected. The proposal 

 met immediate approval, and, on the motion of Mr Banna- 

 tync William Macleod, it was resolved that it be recom- 

 mended to the General Meeting to allot ;^ioo sterling in 

 premiums for the encouragement of such articles and 

 branches of improvements as should afterwards be pointed 

 out by the Committee. The General Meeting which was 

 held on the succeeding day (nth January), unanimously 

 approved of the proposal, and placed ;^ioo at the disposal 

 of the Committee. 



On 3rd February, Mr IVLacleod read to a meeting of 

 the General Committee a paper containing a scheme of the 

 different articles and essays on the subjects proposed to be 

 encouraged by premiums, and stated that he had suggested 

 these propositions in consequence of previous deliberations 

 with Mr Henry Mackenzie. On the 4th March, the adver- 

 tisement of premium.s, made up by the Sub-committee 

 named for that purpose, was read to and approved of by a 

 meeting of the General Committee, and the advertisement 

 ordered to be published in the different Scotch newspapers, 

 and also in the London Chronicle. Five gold medals were 

 offered for essays on subjects in agriculture, viz. : manage- 

 ment of black cattle ; inclosures ; cultivation of grasses and 

 green crops ; and supplying the want of coal. Medals 



