xlvi PROCEEDINGS, OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



January 15, 1918. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., V.M.H., in the Chair, and seven members present. 



Town refuse as manure. — Mr. F. J. Chittenden, V.M.H., said he had secured 

 an analysis of a sample of town refuse similar in appearance to that shown 

 by Mr. J. Hudson, V.M.H., at the last meeting, which showed a high content 

 of lime, about 2 per cent, phosphate, and 1 \ per cent, nitrogen. Mr. J. W. Odell 

 said he had also an analysis, and his showed a lower percentage of all these 

 raanurial substances than the one referred to. Experiments are being made 

 at Wisley, Rothamsted, and Long Ashton to ascertain its manurial value. 



Variation in shade 0} French Beans. — Mr. J. Fraser, F.L.S., showed seeds 

 of the variety ' Mont d'Or,' remarking upon the difference in shade of seeds 

 of the same harvest. This difference is common in French Beans, and appears 

 to be the result of differences in ripeness and of weather effect rather than of a 

 constitutional character. 



Oil-bearing seeds for cultivation in England. — At the instance of Dr. F. Keeble, 

 F.R.S., a discussion took place upon the kinds of plants which might be grown 

 for their oil in England. They appear to be few, and none seems to produce 

 a palatable oil. The oil-bearing Flax, Rape, and other species of Brassicas, 

 Sunflowers, Coreopsis, with perhaps some Malvaceous plants such as Malope 

 and Lavatera, seem practically the only ones which are likely to succeed as 

 oil-producing plants in this country. 



Scientific Committee, January 29, 1918. 

 Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., V.M.H., in the Chair, and five members present. 



Potato Reproduction. — Mr. J. S. Arkwright, D.L., showed a Potato of the 

 1916 crop, which, remaining unplanted, had continued to throw out shoots and 

 produce small tubers. The tubers were successively absorbed and shrivelled 

 as new ones were produced. The formation of young tubers from pith cells 

 inside the old tuber, when the development of shoots is entirely suppressed, 

 was referred to by Mr. W. C. Worsdell. 



Hybrid Galanthus. — Mr. Bowles showed a number of seedlings raised by- 

 Mr. F. H. Chapman, of Rye, apparently the result of crossing Galanthus Elwesii 

 with G. Fosteri, and showing characters of both parents in the foliage and to 

 some extent in the flowers. 



Scientific Committee, February 12, 1918. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., V.M.H.,in the Chair, and eight members present. 



Abnormal Damson-stone. — Mr. Bowles showed a stone of a Damson having 

 four instead of two edges, which Mr. W. C. Worsdell, F.L.S., took for further 

 examination. 



Eelworm in Gardenia Roots. — Mr. J. Fraser, F.L.S., showed specimens of 

 Gardenia roots with galls upon them produced by the root-knot eelworm, 

 Heterodera radicicola. 



Food Value of Fruits. — A discussion took place on the relative food values 

 of common fruits. The Grape has a very high food value, and the Apple also 

 stands very high in this respect. 



Scientific Committee, February 26, 1918. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., V.M.H., in the Chair, with twelve members present, 

 and Misses I. B. Sutton, C. Pellew, visitors. 



Mr. S. U. Pickering, M.A., F.R.S., read a paper on " The Action of one Crop 

 upon another," and some discussion took place (see vol. xlii. p. 372). 



