PRESIDENTS OF THE SOCIETY. 509 



position, because they all knew that he had taken great 

 interest in agricultural shows, and been a highly successful 

 exhibitor. He would make an admirable President, not 

 only as Prince of Wales, but as an exhibitor and farmer. 

 He therefore proposed that the Society elect his Royal 

 Highness as President of the Society. 



At the General Meeting on 17th January 1877, the 

 Duke of Buccleuch and Oueensberr>^ in the chair, the noble 

 Chairman moved the adoption of the following resolution : 

 ' That His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, having 

 presided over the Society for the period of four years, pre- 

 scribed by the Charter, thereby sustaining the dignity and 

 promoting the interests of the Society, the cordial thanks 

 of the meeting are eminently due to His Royal Highness on 

 retiring from the office.' His Grace went on to say that it 

 was of very great importance to the countr}-, and also to 

 the Society that they should have had the advantage of the 

 countenance of the Prince of Wales as their President. 

 His Royal Highness fully intended to have been present at 

 the meeting of the Society on one occasion particularly, 

 and he had made arrangements to attend, when circum- 

 stances occurred to prevent him. They must all deplore 

 his absence, but they knew, from his having accepted the 

 office of President, the interest he had taken in the Society, 

 and what his feelings were generally with regard to Scot- 

 land. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. 



20th and present President, 1877- 1880. 



Schomberg-Henry, ninth Marquis of Lothian, K.T., 

 was elected 17th January 1877. His Lordship was born 

 2nd December 1833, and succeeded his brother in the 

 Marquisate July 4, 1870. 



Lord Lothian's election was moved by Mr IMackenzie 

 of Portmore, and seconded by i\Ir Erskine of Cardross, who 

 said he believed it would be the unanimous feeling of the 

 meeting that a more worthy successor of the Prince of 

 Wales as President of the Society could not be got. They 

 had many proofs of the interest he had taken in the Society, 

 and he believed that under the noble Lord's presidency the 

 prosperity of the Society would be continued. 



