MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
25 
Dr. Houston, Messrs. Deane, Webb, and 
about sixty members and their friends. 
The minutes of the last meeting were 
read and confirmed. 
Mr. T. W. Shepherd read a paper in 
explanation of some remarks, which ap¬ 
peared in one of the daily journals respect¬ 
ing a paper Teadbefore this soeiety, at one 
bf its previous meetings, on native plants 
and the Pastoral, Agricultural and Horti¬ 
cultural resources of Australia. 
The President remarked that several 
runs in the colony were unable to support 
the minimum number of cattle, for want of 
water which, might be obtained by means 
bf wells, dams, &e. 
The Hon. Mr. Fitzgerald wished to 
know, if the writer of the paper considered 
the grazing capabilities of the runs inade¬ 
quate to the number of cattle now on them. 
Mr. Silvester thought the last speaker 
was not aware of the circumstances which 
called for the paper, but he would ex¬ 
plain that it was in reply to some obser¬ 
vations which had been made in a previous 
paper of Mr. Shepherd’s; he would further 
remark that if wool was not so profitable 
to the grower as tallow, no doubt it would 
be advisable that the latter article should 
receive more attention from the station- 
holder, and, if here and there, there were 
portions of land which were more suitable 
for growing wheat, let these portions, if re¬ 
quired in the district, be devoted to the 
growth of wheat: it was never for an in¬ 
stant contemplated, to make this a wheat- 
growing country as the last speaker seem¬ 
ed to think, but, at the same time it 
would be an economizing of labor to de¬ 
vote our attention, to those things which 
are imported into the colony at the great¬ 
est expense. 
Mr. T. IV. Shepherd as the writer al¬ 
luded to by Mr. Fitzgerald, explained the 
nature of the former paper, remarking that 
he believed agriculturists must turn their 
attention, to the improvement of the pas¬ 
turage of the colony, if it were wished to 
grow r stock sufficient to supply the in¬ 
creasing demands of the colony. 
Tbe Secretary’ read a paper from Mr. 
Robert Meston, of New England, on the 
advantages of changing seeds, which was 
listened to attentively’ by the members. 
Mr. J. K. Blake read a paper on Aus¬ 
tralian Wines, No. 2. 
In answer to a question from the Pre¬ 
sident, respecting the cost of maintaining 
a vineyard, Sir. Blake, stated that he con¬ 
sidered £20 per acre would he ample for 
this .purpose. 
The President remarked that the bitter 
taste of our wines might arise from the de¬ 
composition of the leaves of the Eucalyptus. 
Mr. T. W. Shepherd considered the bit¬ 
ter taste to be disappearing, and thought 
that it might have been caused by crushing 
the seeds. 
Mr. Silvester was of opinion that the 
climate affected the flavour of the whies. 
Mr. Blake said that the bitter taste was 
liked on the Rhine, and that many of the 
Rhenish wines possessed that flavour. 
It was proposed by Mr. E. K. Silvester, 
and seconded by’ Mr. 11. R. Webb, “ That 
a vote of thanks be presented to the 
writers of the several papers which had been 
read this evening.” 
This resolution, on being put to the 
meeting by the President, was carried by 
acclamation. 
Mr. T. W. Shepherd thanked the meet¬ 
ing as one of the writers of the papers al¬ 
luded to, and urged upon the members the 
desirability of their coming forward, and 
affording the Society the benefit of their 
information. 
A very excellent representation, in wax, 
of Poinsettia Fulcherima was exhibited by 
Mrs. Reading. 
No ballot being demanded, the following 
gentlemen became members of the Society : 
The Hon. J. Macarthur, Camden-Park. 
Alexander Leaver, Esq. 
Richard Harris, Esq., Oakfield. 
J. L. Scarvell, Esq., Clare House. 
R, C. Lethbridge, Esq., Penrith. 
A. Windyer, Esq., Kinross. 
John Windyer, Esq., do. 
James M'Carthy, Esq., Crane Brook. 
Charles Tlirosby Smith, Esq., Wol¬ 
longong. 
Mr. G. De Lange, Lane Cove. 
Mr. Ridley, Rushcutters Bay. 
Rev. Dr. James Fullerton. 
The following notices of papers were 
given for next month 
Mr. Theodore West.—Analysis of the 
soil of the Hunter. 
Mr. T. W. Shepherd.—Native Plants, 
and the Pastoral Agricultural and Horti¬ 
cultural resources of Australia (No. 6.) 
Mr. J. E. Blake.—On Australian Wines 
(No. 3.) 
The next Monthly Meeting will be held 
on Tuesday, August 4. 
