SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MAY 7. 



xlv 



the Hartz Mountain^.") Canon Ellacombe observed 'that it was known 

 as an autumnal form of the double Hepatica. 



Cattley a Deformed. — ^Iv. G. Cragg, gardener, Percy Lodge, Winchmore 

 Hill, sent a remarkable form of C. intermedia. There were four flowers 

 on the spike, the two lower ones being perfect. The specimen sent was 

 one of the two upper flowers, both of which were deformed. The flower 

 sent had two coloured sepals, situated laterally, and two lips, one 

 posterior, the other anterior, closely folded together. Within was a 

 column without anthers. 



Preparation of Woad. — An interesting paper was sent by Dr. Plowright, 

 with numerous specimens, showing the production of the blue colour 

 derived from this plant. After alluding to several ancient writers, who 

 described the colour as blue, green, and black. Dr. Plowright could find 

 no recent information as to how the colour was extracted ; as, though 

 Isatis tinctoria is cultivated round Wisbech, where the manufactory still 

 exists, it is no longer grown for the dye, but for a fermentable substance 

 which renders true indigo (Indigofera sp.) " fast." After experimenting 

 he found how all the colours, blues, greens, and blacks, could be obtained. 

 (See p. 33.) Prof. Church remarked that Chinese indigo is said to be made 

 from Woad ; the "balls " of pounded leaves being extremely like those made 

 in India from the species of Indigofera. He observed, also, that different 

 qualities occur at different stages of growth. He added that the colouring 

 matter is not only produced in the leaves (in the chlorophyll cells, according 

 to Dr. Plowright), but also in the seeds. These contain two colouring 

 matters, the true indigo and erythrophyll, the ordinary red colour of 

 flowers, &c. The ripe fruits of the Woad plant sent by Dr. Plowright 

 were deeply stained naturally of a dark violet colour. 



Scientific Committee, May 7, 1901. 

 Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and twenty members present. 



Beetroot Tumour. — Dr. M. C. Cooke reported as follows upon speci- 

 mens sent to recent meetings: — ''The tumour on the Beet is a some- 

 what globose nodule on the side of the root, about the size and form of 

 a Tangerine Orange, attached to the root by a narrow neck, scarcely an 

 inch in diameter. When the root was cut down the substance of the 

 tumour did not seem to dift'er from that of the root ; the pale zones on 

 the side next the swelling passed into the tumour, traversed it concen- 

 trically, with something of the appearance which a transverse section of 

 the root would exhibit. At the periphery darker spots appeared, just 

 below the surface, which were nearly black, and mostly with a small 

 central cavity. The walls of this cavity and the blackened part generally 

 were traversed by a delicate network of mycelium, but I could And no 

 trace of spores, or conidia, or fruit of any kind in the cavities. I may 

 add that externally the tumour showed no discoloration or other evidence 

 of the concealed blackened spots. The reference which was on my mind 

 when I flrst saw the root was a short note in Massee's ' Plant Diseases ' 

 (p. 225), in which he calls it 'Beetroot tumour,' and says that it occurred 

 in the grounds of the School of Agriculture, near Algiers, and before 



