Hi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Malformed Potatos. — Tubers showing malformation were sent by Mr. Cheal 

 and the R.H.S. Gardens, Wisley. 



Potatos and drought. — Mr. J. Fraser, F.L.S., showed tubers misshapen by 

 the hard condition of the ground during the early summer drought. 



Scientific Committee, September 24, 1918. 

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



Primula japonica proliferous. — Mr. F. J. Chittenden, V.M.H., showed a plant 

 of Primula japonica from Wisley in which the flower scape bore a leaf about 

 2 inches above its origin and in its axil a well-developed plant, so that the resulting 

 growth appeared almost like a runner from the old plant. 



Aberrant Maize. — Mr. H. Cowley sent a portion of a staminate inflorescence 

 of Maize the main branch of which bore at its apex several pistillate flowers in a 

 group. 



Helenium autumnale. — Mr. Wood, of Ashtead, sent inflorescences of Helenium 

 autumnale virescent and with numerous lateral proliferations which usually 

 accompany virescence in this plant. Similar growths have been figured in the 

 Society's Journal. 



Scientific Committee, October 8, 1918. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., V.M.H., in the Chair, and one member present. 



Rhododendron neriiflorum. — Mr. E. Magor, Lamellen, St. Tudy, Cornwall, 

 sent flowers of the beautiful deep red Rhododendron neriiflorum, raised by him 

 from seed collected by Mr. G. Forrest. The plant flowers in April, and again in 

 October as a rule. 



Hybrid Buddleia. — Mr. W. van de Weyer, of Smedmore House, Corfe Castle, 

 Dorset, sent flowering shoots of an interesting hybrid — Buddleia globosa °- x B. 

 magnifica $ . The flowers were in racemes of globose heads, purple in the bud, 

 yellow to orange as they open, and very sweetly scented. The following note 

 upon them accompanied the specimens : " I am sending herewith some late flower 

 trusses of some hybrid seedlings of Buddleia I have raised. They are, I think, 

 interesting, as they are B. globosa (female parent) x B. magnifica (male parent). 

 Some are the second generation of this cross (selfed). The second generation 

 show no difference from the first. One gets just the same variations. The curious 

 thing to me is the large percentage of pale-coloured seedlings one gets, and I have 

 not yet got an orange one. They all show B. magnifica leaves (except two, which 

 have not yet flowered) , and all flower at the same time as, or later than , B . magnifica, 

 none flowering at the time of B. globosa. All are scented. I have also some 

 crosses between Buddleia globosa (female parent) x Buddleia madagascariensis 

 (male parent). These hybrids are not quite hardy. They flower very early, 

 before B. globosa. All show the leaves of B. globosa, only as large as 

 B. madagascariensis. All have large, orange ball trusses like B. globosa, only 

 the balls are larger, and none that has flowered so far is scented. I might add 

 B. globosa x B. magnifica sets seed freely naturally. B. globosa x B. madagas- 

 cariensis does not do so ; in fact, has never set a seed naturally, and I have been 

 away in France, so have never pollinated the flowers by hand." 



Scientific Committee, October 22, 1918. 

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



Certificate of Appreciation. — The Committee unanimously recommended a 

 certificate of appreciation to Mr. W. van de Weyer for his work in raising hybrid 

 Buddleia globosa x magnifica. 



Phyllanthus sp. — Mr. W. Fawcett, B.Sc, showed an interesting series of her- 

 barium specimens to illustrate the different degrees of specialization of shoots in 

 Phvllanthus. In P. epiphyllanthus the flower-bearing branches are modified to a 

 leaf -like form and spirally arranged. In P. montanus they are similarly modified 

 and arranged in two rows on the penultimate branches. In P. speciosus the 

 flowering branches are distichous and the penultimate branches are themselves 

 flattened, and P. isolepis is similar ; the whole penultimate branch is deciduous. 

 In P. linearis the modification is carried still further. 



