328 TlMEHRI. 
five annual reports of Mr. Jamieson, on the work of the Agricultural 
Association of Aberdeen, without going beyond the limits of the report 
of the work of the International Congress. 
" The reports of Mr. Jamieson comprise, indeed, with their appendices, 
about 200 pages of text in folio, with numerous tables giving the 
results of the experiments commenced in 1876 by the Association, and 
continued without intermission since that time. To my regret I find 
myself, therefore, obliged to confine myself to making known briefly 
the aim and organisation of the Association, the method of its experi- 
ments, and the principal results obtained, as far chiefly as concerns the 
role of the divers phosphates in vegetation. 
The organisation of the Association of Aberdeen is quite special ; 
its installation partakes at once of the private laboratory and the 
agricultural station. Formed by the union of a certain number of 
agriculturists and friends of agriculture, who have engaged for a 
series of years to contribute annually from £1 to ,£50 each, this 
Association undertakes researches and experiments like those which 
Mr. Lawes has pursued for 40 years in his private laboratory at 
Rothamstead, and makes no analyses for the public. The constitution 
and object of the Aberdeen Agricultural Association were defined, 
at the opening meeting of the members in April, 1876 
(see Report or 1875-76). The subscriptions for 1880 amounted to 
£358. Quite recently, under the impulse of Mr. Jamieson, a second 
Association of the same kind has been founded in Sussex, the members 
of which engage for a period of three years to subscribe £814 annually. 
" Happy country, where the private initiative permits constituting, 
without any personal aim, and for the general interest, a scientific 
association on so large a basis. 
" The Aberdeenshire Association commenced its researches by trials 
on the cultivation of turnips in fields variously manured, and notably 
with phosphate of animal origin, bone flour deprived of nitrogenous 
matter, raw mineral phosphates finely ground, superphosphates from 
bone and minerals and precipitated phosphate, all these phosphates 
being employed both alone and associated with nitrogenous manures. 
After the turnip experiments came experiments on other crops. 
* * * * * 
" The Committee feel confident that the formation of Agricultural 
Associations on the Aberdeenshire model would prove of incalculable 
value. 
