CHAPTER LIII. 



GEOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION, 

 FORESTRY, &c. 



In this chapter we group together notices of the Society's 

 operations in connection with Geological Reports, Chem- 

 istry, Agricultural Education, and Forestry. We also in- 

 clude notices of the Chemists, and the Professor of Botany. 



Geological Reports. 



In 1833 a Committee was appointed on Geology, and 

 liberal premiums were afterwards offered and awarded for 

 Geological Surveys and Reports. Numerous valuable 

 papers were received, and several of them were published 

 in the Transactions. In 1843 it was deemed proper to 

 suspend this class of premiums, the Society having then on 

 hand various unpublished reports. 



The first Chairman of the Committee on Geology was 

 Lord Greenock (afterwards Earl Cathcart), who acted from 

 1833 till 1837, when David Milne, yr. of Milnegraden (after- 

 wards Mr Milne Home of Wedderburn) was appointed. 

 In 1845 the name of the Committee was changed to Geo- 

 logy and' Chemistry, and stood in the official lists under that 

 title till 1849, when, on the appointment of a separate Com- 

 mittee on Chemistry, it was again limited to Geology. 

 After 1855, the Committee ceased to exist. 



Chemical Department. 



Previous to the establishment of the Society's Chemical 

 Department there existed in Edinburgh a body called the 

 Agricultural Chemistry Association. It was instituted in 

 1843, with the sanction and assistance of the Society. It 

 originated with some farmers in Mid-Lothian, the first mover 

 in it being the late John Finnic, Swanston. In July 1843, 



