128 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



does not appear to have been any competition for the butter 

 premium. 



The General Meeting in January 1815 voted a piece of 

 plate of the value of twenty guineas to Mr William Harley, 

 Willowbank, Glasgow, on account of his having established 

 an extensive dairy there upon a new and improved plan. 



Premiums awarded at a later date, for improved dairy 

 produce and management, will be afterwards noticed. 



Thirlage. 



Frequent references are made in the preceding chapter 

 to the evil of thirlage. It seems proper to mention here that 

 this subject was brought under the notice of the directors 

 at a meeting on the 19th February 1796. It was pointed 

 out that ' this servitude of thirlage had long been com- 

 plained of in Scotland as an obstacle to the improvement 

 of the country, by the restriction it imposed on certain 

 lands of grinding corn produced on them at certain mills 

 only, and of paying a proportion of such grain in name of 

 multure, the quantum of which payment in name of mul- 

 ture increasing with the increased quantity of grain pro- 

 duced, the servitude in question must evidently operate as 

 a tax upon industry, and as a bar to agricultural improve- 

 ment.' The matter was referred to a committee, who gave 

 in two reports in July and December of the same year. 

 After the subject had undergone various discussions, both 

 at the general meeting of the Society and those of the 

 directors, and after a communication of the sentiments of 

 several of the counties of Scotland transmitted to the 

 Society, all of them favourable to the proposed measure, 

 a bill was brought into Parliament in the session of 1799. 

 The bill which was passed gave relief from the servitude in 

 a manner which, while conferring a great public advantage, 

 involved ' the least inconvenience to the parties privately 

 interested.' 



Special and Meritorio7is Services. 



This chapter may be fitly closed with a notice of 

 several awards for special and meritorious services. 



