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THE FIRST Two ‘YEARS OF THE “SOCIETY.” 233 
we may augur favourably of the development of the 
resources of the colony, and I trust I am using no hyper- 
bolical language when I say that I believe we shall cast 
our old prejudices into the cauldron of the laboratory 
and that thence, Medea-like, they will emerge in new 
forms of youth, beauty, strength and profit, which will 
make this colony, like a giant refreshed and strong, 
prepared to run its course rejoicingly before the eyes 
of the world. (Cheers.) From the union of science 
with practice, which have been too long divorced, there 
must be, I prediét, an issue prolific of benefit to agri- 
culture.” 
Dr. SHIER, in giving ‘‘ The Vice-President and Office- 
bearers of the Society,” spoke of agriculture generally 
and the scarcity of labour, winding up with an eulogy 
on that “ most deserving officer, the Secretary, a man 
well-known to be devoted to science.” Mr. CAMPBELL 
and himself had been fellow-members of the Botanical 
Society of Edinburgh, and he had had therefore opportu- 
nities of learning his value as a man of business. 
To review the fifty years’ work of the Society here 
would of course be impossible. Its history is identified 
with that of the colony. It has been concerned more or 
less with every progressive.measure. There have been 
times of great distress in the colony when its work 
seemed sinking to nothingness, but with the improvement 
of things the Society has over and over again resumed its 
activity. That it is not so distinétly agricultural or com- 
mercial now as it was in its early years, is simply the 
result of circumstances. No doubt more could have been 
done if the planters and merchants took more active parts in 
its administration. To blame the Society for not doing this 
