EARLY PREMIUMS. I 23 



fire of a kiln with mill seeds. A piece of plate, of ten 

 guineas value, is awarded to the Rev. Alexander Campbell, 

 Killcalmonell, for improvements made by him upon the 

 common and double mould board ploughs. The first 

 award made by the Society for a plough was to Mr 

 Campbell in 1793. Five guineas were voted to Joseph 

 Binning, millwright, Bathgate, for a machine for sowing 

 grain broadcast ; and a like sum to William Steel, Dum- 

 fries, for an apparatus for steaming potatoes. 



There were five grants for machines in 18 18. A sum 

 of twenty guineas was voted to John Common, Den\\ick, 

 Alnwick, for an improved double-drilled turnip sower. 

 Ten guineas were awarded to Messrs Lees & Bathgate, 

 Galashiels, for constructing a wire bridge for foot pas- 

 sengers over the Gala, being the first of this description 

 erected in Scotland. Twelve guineas were voted to Andw. 

 Hislop, smith at Fountainhall, for constructing a bridge of 

 malleable iron over the Gala, also intended for foot pas- 

 sengers, at a moderate expense, and understood to be 

 the first of this description attempted in Scotland. Five 

 guineas were awarded to Mr Wotherspoon, watchmaker, 

 Tranent, for his model and description of a reaping 

 machine. Thomas Kirkwood, Castleton, East Lothian,- 

 received three guineas for constructing a grubber wholly of 

 iron. 



In i'8i9 only two votes were passed for inventions. 

 James Walker, Lauriston, Falkirk, received seven guineas 

 for a model and relative description of a railway, calculated 

 to surmount elevations ; and five guineas were voted to Mr 

 Walker, Carron, for his model and relative description of a 

 railway for a similar purpose. In 1820 three awards were 

 made. A gold medal was voted to James Hunter of 

 Thurston, East Lothian, for an improved self-acting pump, 

 invented by him, and presented to the Society, and for 

 improvements made by him on an instrument for measuring 

 distances. Ten guineas were awarded to Robert Monteath, 

 wood surveyor, Stirling, for a machine for measuring grow- 

 ing timber ; seven guineas to Alexander Farmer, late at 

 Bearford, for his corn fanners. 



