EXTRACTS OF PROCEEDINGS. 



liii 



Blue Primroses. — Mr. Wilson exhibited several specimens 

 illustrative of different shades of purple and blue Primroses. 



Lemon Malformed. — Dr. Bonavia exhibited a Lemon remark- 

 able for a ridge from top to bottom. He suggested that it might 

 be due to an adherent filament, and that the rind was an inde- 

 pendent structure. Mr. Henslow observed that an anatomical in- 

 vestigation into the distribution of the fibro-vascular cords of the 

 carpels of Oranges did not appear to support that view. He added, 

 that the well-known peculiarity of horn-like structures arising 

 from the surface of Oranges was due to the adhesion of pistiloid 

 stamens, which are not at all uncommon in Orange flowers. 



Theobroma Leaves Diseased. — Mr. McLachlan exhibited 

 leaves of the Cacao tree badly infested by Capnodium citri, which 

 . forms a soot-like sheet over the surface, but does not penetrate 

 the tissues. It was received from Mr. Smith, the Curator of the 

 Botanic Gardens in Grenada, W.I. The leaves are attacked first 

 by two species of coccidae, one stellate, the other linear in form. 

 The coccids produce a secretion by which the fungus is nourished 

 and thrives. Mr. Blandford observed that the same fungus 

 occurs upon Oranges in California, which have in consequence 

 to be washed. Mr. Riley, in his report of the U.S. Department 

 of Agriculture for 1886, speaks of the large masses of secretion 

 produced by coccids. In Florida, this fungus, known as black 

 blight, is a regular consequence of the presence of the coccidaa 

 in Oranges, and lives in the honeydew secreted by them. The 

 names of the coccids are Vinsonia stelliformis, Westwood, and 

 Ischnaspis filiformis, Douglas. The first or stellately-formed 

 species is found on a species of Saccolabium introduced from 

 Assam, on Mangos in Demerara, as well as on the Theobroma in 

 Grenada. With reference to remedies, Mr. Smith recommends 

 petroleum emulsion for the coccidaa, but for the fungus Dr. Miiller 

 suggested polysulphides— e.g., sulphur boiled with caustic lime. 



Injury to Plants at Kew. — With reference to the remarks made 

 by Mr. Dyer at the last meeting as to the effects of the 

 recent frosts on plants, it was stated that the object of keeping 

 the temperature as low as possible in glasshouses in the 

 winter was, because it was found to be practically impossi- 

 ble to retain a humid atmosphere with a high temperature, 

 in consequence of the low external temperature and noc- 

 turnal radiation. The subject will be found fully discussed in 



