Ivi PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



recently held at Boat of Garten ; and he showed a large number 

 of fungi from that district. Among the rarer species exhibited 

 were Agaricus {Amanita) virosus, Fr., A. {Arniillaria) bulbiger, 

 A. & S., A. (Flammula) spuiyiosiis, Fr., Paxillus atrotomentosus, 

 Fr., Cantharellus umbonatus, Fr., Hydnum imbricatum, L., 

 H. fragile, Fr., and H. scrobiciilatum, Fr. 



Rev. James Keith, LL.D., Corresponding Member, sent for 

 exhibition some fine specimens of Polyporus Schweinitzii, Fr., 

 a fungus which grows in imbricated masses of a rich chestnut 

 colour among roots of old trees in pine forests in the Forres 

 district. 



Professor James W. H. Trail, M.D., F.R.S.E., F.L.S., Corre- 

 sponding Member, sent for exhibition some specimens of Peziza 

 {Tarzetta) animophila, Dur. and Mont., found among roots of 

 Ainmoj)hila arundinacea on the sea-shore north of the mouth 

 of the River Don, near Aberdeen, 



Mr. Robert Turner, Vice-President, read some notes com- 

 municated by Mr. David Gregorson, California (formerly a 

 member and office-bearer of the Society), on the Black Scale, 

 Lecanium olece, Bernard, an insect-parasite which affects the 

 branches and leaves of the olive and oleander, and the branches 

 and twigs of pepper-tree, apricot, pomegranate, orange, lemon, 

 lime, and guava. An interesting account was given of obser- 

 vations made by Mr. Gregorson on the hatching of the eggs 

 and development of the young insects, and reference was made 

 to various methods of destroying this parasite by spraying 

 the branches of the trees on which it occurs. In some instances 

 as many as 95 per cent, of the scales were killed in this way, 

 with very trifling damage to the growing fruit. Of the 

 preparations used, a solutioh of pearl-ash and resin was found to 

 be most effective, and least injurious to the trees. A solution 

 of caustic-soda, resin, and whale-oil seemed to have a tendency 

 to defoliate the trees, although that result might have been 

 partly due to the spray having been applied during hot sun- 

 shine or drying wind. The best period for spraying was as 

 soon as possible after the middle of September, when the old 

 insects had disappeared and the young ones were fully hatched 

 out. While a strong solution, applied earlier, would kill the 

 old scale as well as the young, it woiild be more apt to injure 

 the tree ; but a weaker solution, applied at the time recom- 

 mended, would be quite effective on the young without any 

 danger to the tree. Mr. Gregoi-son believed that twice spraying 

 —first about the middle of Augiast, and afterwards about the 

 end of September— would render the work of destruction more 

 effective. When present in large numbers, the scale does 

 considerable injury by causing the prevalence of a smutty 

 fungus which grows on the sticky exudation either from the 



