clxxxix 
Thursday , December 13, 1894. 
tion was so rapidly decreasing, that 
pastures were readily capable o£ 
being improved under suitable con- 
ditions. There were lands and soils 
which, by treatment with special 
manures adapted for them, could 
effect a perfect revolution in the 
nature of their herbage. Even by 
a simple dressing of ordinary manure 
they could get rid of weeds, and pro- 
duce results that were perfec'ly 
startling. He considered that, in 
this time of serious agricultural de- 
pression, their Society might do real 
service if it could see its way, either 
at Woburn or on a larger scale else- 
where, to undertake a series of careful 
experiments for the improvement of 
grass lands under different conditions 
of soil and climate. 
Surg.- Lieut. -Col. Ince and Mr. H. 
Le Roy-Lewis threw out suggestions 
that the Society might let its rooms 
for the meetings of other societies of 
a scientific or agricultural character. 
Mr. G. D. Yeoman referred to the 
importance of poultry farming, which 
he was sure might, with proper energy 
and skill, be made financially success- 
ful. 
Mr. John Thornton supported 
Mr. de Vitr6’s remarks as to the in- 
adequacy of the cattle-truck accommo- 
dation on the southern lines, and 
referred to the excessive charges made 
for the carriage of animals exported 
to foreign countries. 
Mr. William Langford suggested 
that the Council should take steps to 
prevent the excessive feeding of show 
animals. He thought that the exces- 
sively fat animals that were exhibited 
at their Shows throughout the country 
would in a large proportion of cases 
cease to be fertile, and an injury was, 
therefore, being done to the stock 
production of the country, lie sug- 
gested that when once a bull or other 
animal had obtained the highest prize 
it should not be allowed to compete 
again. 
Mr. William Fortune referred to 
the enormous extent of the adultera- 
tions in the food of the people, not- 
ably in regard to milk and butter, and 
suggested that the Society should 
lend its powerful aid in a crusade 
against these practices. 
Mr. Frederick King considered 
that the representation of the Society 
upon the Council required alteration 
— if necessary, by an amendment of 
the Charter, or by a new Charter. Both 
science and practice were under- 
represented, and there was too much 
of the tinsel of title. 
No other member desiring to offer 
observations, the President pro- 
mised that each of the suggestions 
made should receive the careful at- 
tention of the Council. 
Vote of Thanks to the Chairman. 
Sir Henry Simpson, in moving a 
vote of thanks to the Chairman, said 
that it was unnecessary for him to 
say many, or indeed any, words to 
commend that motion to the meeting. 
He could not, however, help express- 
ing his personal gratification in seeing 
Sir John Thorold occupy that digni- 
fied position, and felt perfectly certain 
that the honour and prestige of the 
Society were safe in his hands. 
Mr. Ralph Palmer seconded the 
vote of thanks, and referring to what 
had been said as to the composition 
of the Council, observed that as a 
member of one of the old City com- 
panies, his experience taught him 
that the interests of private members 
were best preserved by concentrating 
ail their power in the Council. He 
felt that every individual member of 
the Society owed a deep debt of 
gratitude to the President for his 
labours on behalf of the Society, and 
to the Council for the way in which 
the Society’s interests were safe- 
guarded by them. Perhaps he might 
be permitted to refer to a matter 
touched upon by Lord Tredegar as to 
the connection of science with agri- 
culture. A report had been issued 
this year by the Gresham University 
Commission, in which for the first 
time applied science had been recog- 
nised. The Commissioners had asked 
for the views of the Royal Agricultural 
Society as the greatest votary of 
applied science in England ; and they 
were so struck with the evidence 
given by the Society’s representatives 
that in their report they recom- 
mended that the Society should have 
a representative on the Senate of the 
new University. They hoped that if 
that University should ever be 
