HOW THE SOCIETY S BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED. 493 



subjects of the papers which had come under their own 

 observation. In the autumn of 1849 the Directors re- 

 solved, instead of courting observations ranging over the 

 whole ground traversed by the writers of such papers as 

 were read, to fix upon one subject of practical interest 

 and importance to be discussed at each meeting, and to 

 find gentlemen who would undertake to address the 

 meeting on that subject. The success of this experiment 

 exceeded the anticipations of the Directors. From Decem- 

 ber 1849, many questions of practical importance and 

 general interest were selected by the committee ; and the 

 gentlemen who undertook the discussions, brought to bear 

 upon them an amount of practical skill as farmers, of 

 general knowledge, conveyed in language so accurate and 

 appropriate, and in a spirit so calm, courteous, and gentle- 

 man-like, that the meetings immediately became highly 

 popular, and the discussions attracted a large share of 

 public attention. Some of the questions, such as the 

 storing of roots, and the propriety of subsoiling and trench 

 ploughing, led to the institution of experiments, which the 

 Society called for. Others, such as on the best varieties of 

 oats, and on feeding farm horses, were recorded in the 

 Transactions. 



Reports of the meetings were regularly published in 

 the newspapers, so that the advantages were not confined 

 to members in and near Edinburgh, but were shared by the 

 country at large. The principal local Agricultural Associa- 

 tions followed the example, and discussions of a similar 

 character were extensively carried on. To suit the con- 

 venience of farmers attending the Edinburgh markets, and 

 owing to the introduction of railways, the hour of meeting 

 was in 1843 changed to three o'clock afternoon, and after- 

 wards to one. The interest which these meetings at first 

 excited gradually wore away, and, in place of attending, 

 many preferred to read the reports in the newspapers. 



From 1 841 to 1861 inclusive, the following noblemen 

 successively acted as chairmen, and did much by their pre- 

 sence and example to promote the success of the meetings : 

 The Marquis of Tweeddale ; Viscount Melville ; the Earl 



