HA R D WICKE' S S CIENCE- G O SSI P. 



279 



BOTANY. 



Trifolium stellatum. — Some years ago I found 

 the Trifolium stellatum in considerable quantity near 

 Shoreham, Sussex, This year I sought for it most 

 diligently, but in vain. Is it about to share in the 

 fate of so many of our rare plants, i.e. extermina- 

 tion ? Has it been gathered at Shoreham or else- 

 where within the last two or three years ? — //. E. 

 Wilkinson. 



How TO MEND BROKEN STEMS. — I send yOU 

 enclosed a specimen of fracture mending which I 

 believe is not at all common. In the month of June 

 last my servant knocked over a favourite fuchsia, 

 breaking off almost completely a bit about two and a 

 half inches long from the terminal branch. This 

 fracture I "set" within five minutes with a splint of 

 mixed white of egg; and whiting, fixed the plant to 

 its support by transfixing a leaf with a needle inserted 

 in the support, and you see the result so far is perfect 

 union, with no deformity save a little rough ring round 

 the stem. The plant flowered freely above the union, 

 and grew fully a foot in height afterwards. — A. 

 Drummond Macdonald, Al.B., 3 Peel St., Dingle, 

 Liverpool. 



[The experiment is most interesting, and the result 

 in every way satisfactory. — Ed. S.-G.]. 



New British Phragmidia. — During the October 

 ramble of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union at Thirsk, 

 I noticed, in an old lane near Pilmoor Junction, what 

 I took to be Phragmidium bulbosiun, exceedingly 

 common on bramble leaves, and, whilst collecting it, 

 I could not fail to notice a decided difference in the 

 size of the sori, on different plants. The sori of the 

 commonest form was comparatively large, whilst in 

 others it was small and not so scattered. Upon 

 examination it was quite evident they were not the 

 same species. The spores of the smaller form had 

 more septa and a longer apiculus, than those taken 

 from the larger sori. Specimens of each were sent to 

 Mr, C. B. Plowright, of King's Lynn, who stated they 

 were distinct species, hitherto in this country con- 

 founded with Phragmidium bulbosum. Those with 

 fewest septa are P. violaceum, Schl., the others P. rubi, 

 Pers. I have a limited number of specimens, which 

 I shall be glad to forward to any one interested 

 applying for them. — H. T. Soppitt, Saltaire, Yorks. 



Fungus Foray in Epping Forest. — The 

 members of the Hackney Natural History Society 

 made a fungus foray in Epping Forest on October 21. 

 The meeting place was Chingford, which was reached 

 at two o'clock, p.m., and, notwithstanding the heavy 

 downpour of rain, the attendance was good, over 

 twenty gentlemen being present, among them being 

 the President, Dr. M, C. Cooke, A.L.S., Worthington 

 Smith, F.L.S., Mr, James English, and others. The 

 route taken was through Hawk Wood, Cuckoo Pits, 



Beech Glade, etc. Through these districts, armed with 

 creels, knapsacks, etc., the company pursued the objects 

 of their research, amid the continuous and heavy rain, 

 pausing to admire the beautiful scenery of a forest 

 clothed in its autumnal foliage, when tree, shrub, and 

 bracken seem to vie with each other. The specimens 

 found were numerous, many being rare, nearly one 

 hundred different species being named by the con- 

 ductors ; among them may be mentioned Agaricus 

 adiposus, A. Jiavidus, A. spumosus, A. spectabilis, 

 A. IVorthingtonii, named by Fries after one of our 

 conductors, and only found in Epping Forest ; A. 

 mucidus, A. ostreatus, a beautiful specimen of A. 

 dryadeiis, Clavaria inaqualis, Xylaria hypoxylon, 

 Cantharellus aurantiaciis, Fistulitia hepatica, Paxillus. 

 itivolutus, A. mitis, A. variabilis, Polyporus cuticu- 

 laris. Boletus subtometttosus, and A. lacrytnabundus. 

 The company, now numbering nearly thirty, assem- 

 bled at Fairmead Lodge, where a good repast had 

 been provided ; after which the President, in a short 

 address, after mentioning some of the more rare 

 specimens found, expressed sorrow that so much 

 valuable food, as very many of these fungi are, 

 should through ignorance be lost, at the same time 

 cautioning his hearers against eating without know- 

 ledge. A vote of thanks was proposed and unani- 

 mously given to the conductors of the foray. 



GEOLOGY. 



Fossil Trees at Hanley. — In your May number 

 you were kind enough to insert a few remarks about 

 the above subject, and I should be pleased if you will 

 kindly insert the following notes and measurements 

 of twenty others which we have come across since 

 I wrote to you in May. 



No. 17. Tapered more than any yet found, and at 

 the bottom it thickened out as if forming for 

 the roots. Although no roots could be found, on 

 cutting the tree down the centre, the carbon which 



