EXTRACTS EROM PROCEEDINGS. 



cxxxvii 



arum. He took occasion to make some remarks on the mode in 

 which, in certain cases, the spawn of parasitic fungi penetrates 

 plants — and gave reasons why it was not probable that the notion 

 is correct which has been prevalent, that Acorns from Truffle- 

 grounds will produce, if planted in a proper soil, a crop of Truffles. 

 The spores are very large ; and there is no evidence to show that 

 their mycelium has any power to penetrate the tissues of Phse- 

 nogams. 



Mr. Bateman then commented on the Orchids which had re- 

 ceived certificates, and the Meeting adjourned. 



Experiments on Priinulacese. 



In accordance with the intention expressed in my letter to your 

 Committee, communicated through Dr. Masters, and which I ob- 

 serve is given in substance at p. 75 of the Horticultural Society's 

 ' Proceedings,' I now respectfully beg to report the results of 

 some of my experiments among the Primulacece. I say some, and 

 and these but a few of those I had in hand, which have already 

 produced results. For these results , so far as attained, I have not 

 had long to wait, seeing I began my experiments in the spring of 

 last year (1868), and now, in little more than a twelvemonth, I 

 am enabled to lay before you four of the plants so produced in 

 bloom, though some of them I fear will be past their best ere 

 your Committee meet. 



These consist of crossed seedlings, of which the male parent 

 was a form of the " hose in hose " variety I had in my garden at 

 Woodend, Perthshire — still a true "hose in hose," though small 

 portions of the lower part, which should have been the calyx, were 

 slightly green, without the least approach to run into leafage, as 

 in the progeny now submitted. It was a proper Primula, though 

 sometimes throwing up a Polyanthus -spike. 



The female parents were of the Polyanthus form, of which some 

 of the seedlings now sent partake. 



I offer no descriptions, as the plants will speak for themselves, 

 and you are far better able than I am to direct attention to their 

 distinctive peculiarities ; for no two of them, you will please ob- 

 serve, are exactly alike. 



I have still other forms of this brood with Polyanthus-spikes, 

 having large leaves forming a whorl round the umbel from which 

 the individual flowers radiate, each individual bloom having, as in 

 these shown, a 5 -foliate involucre instead of a calyx. Others too 



vol. ii. n 



