SECTIONAL TilANSACTlOiSo.— E, F. 3j] 



The two sets showitig acreages under various crops and the numbers of animals, 

 respectively, deal with the period 1866-1929. Those concerned with produce, of 

 cereals in the one case and crops other than cereals in the other, deal with the period 

 1S84-1928. In addition a map was constructed to show the monthly rainfall regime 

 of certain Scottish stations. 



The ten maps showing distribution of the major crops, and the four showing 

 animal distributions, portray the main features of Scottish agriculture and provide 

 the broad setting. Only detailed agricultural research in the field can solve the many 

 interesting problems that they raise. 



Miss C. P. Snodgrass." — Some Aspects of the Agricultural Geography of the 

 Lothians and Berwickshire. 



In order to show the influence of the physical and economic features of this region 

 (Midlothian, East Lothian and Berwickshire) on the agricultural distributions, maps 

 of the topography, geology, rainfall and population density are exhibited for com- 

 parison with a number of cartograms showing the distribution of the principal crops 

 and some of the principal classes of livestock. 



A brief statement is given regarding the influence of such environmental factors as 

 altitude, rainfall (amount and seasonal distribution), soil type, and distance from a 

 large consuming centre upon the agricultural distributions, and the main types of 

 farming which have been developed in the region as a result of these distributions 

 are indicated. ^ 



These main types are : — 



(a) Farming for the production of cash crops in Lower Mid- and East Lothian. 



(6) Dairy farming for the production of fresh milk in Western Midlothian. 

 (Dairying for the production of fresh milk also overlaps cash crop farming in lower 

 ilidlothian and the N.W. corner of East Lothian.) 



(c) Semi-arable sheep farming in the higher parts of the farmland in East Lothian 

 and S.E. Midlothian and on almost all the farmland in Berwickshire. 



(d) Hill sheep farming on the moorlands. 



SECTION F. 

 ECONOMIC SCIENCE AND STATISTICS. 



Thursday, September 4. 



Mr. G. PoNSONBY.— TAe Incidence of the Cost of Road Maintenance and 

 Construction. 



With the important exception of the period of about two centuries, during which 

 time a certain proportion of the roads of Great Britain were maintained and constructed 

 under a system of controlled private enterprise — by the Turnpike Trusts — the amount 

 of resources devoted to this purpose in almost all countries and at all times has been 

 largely determined by governing authorities. And in particular since the beginning 

 of the present century, it has been generally accepted that such authorities are at the 

 same time the most appropriate and effective bodies to be vested with the responsibility 

 of this work. 



The result of this governmental control over so large and important a branch of 

 national economy has been, that both the quantity and direction of economic, 

 resources which communities have collectively applied to the maintenance and 

 construction of roads, have been determined by motives other than purelj' economic. 

 And whereas over wide fields of economic activity the amount of economic resources 

 applied to particular ends has been determined with the object in view of obtaining a 

 maximum net gain, expenditure upon roads has been determined by the deUberations 

 of rulers and administrators, with whom political rather than purely economic con- 

 siderations have been uppermost. But their policies are not without their economic 

 consequences. It is with the latter that this paper is mainly concerned. 



We can well imagine a state in which there was some kind of control whereby 

 resources were devoted to road construction and maintenance in exact accordance 



