XCiv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in which the stamens were very short, so that it had the appearance of a Japanese 

 Anemone. 



Pyrola rotundifolia. — Rev. W. Wilks exhibited a specimen of Pyrola rotundi- 

 folia from his garden at Shirley, Croydon. 



Scientific Committee, September 23, 1919. 

 Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., in the Chair, and four members present. 



Apples diseased. — Mr. Bowles exhibited apples, ' Warner's King ' and ' Winter 

 Hawthornden,' affected with brown spots in the flesh. The brown spotting of 

 soft-fleshed apples some little distance beneath the skin is due to some physio- 

 logical cause, and is known as " bitter-pit." 



Mosaic disease of beans. — Mr. A. D. Cotton sent a note with specimens of beans, 

 ' Black Valentine ' and ' Etampes Early White,' showing the disease of beans 

 called " mosaic." These were growing in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society at Wisley from American and French seeds. He wrote : " In slight 

 cases the only symptoms are mottled and crinkled leaves, but in bad cases the 

 leaves are much reduced in size and the whole plant stunted, while the yield is 

 greatly reduced. In extreme cases practically no crop is produced. A good 

 deal of work has been carried out on Bean mosaic in America, and it is clear 

 that the disease is transmitted through the seed. It is also infectious if sap from 

 diseased plants is introduced into healthy plants. It is possible, therefore, that 

 insects may be responsible for spreading the disease. With regard to varieties 

 many kinds of beans are subject to mosaic, especially amongst the dwarf forms ; 

 some, however, are quite immune, e.g. ' China Red Eye,' ' Detroit,' ' Arlington 

 Red,' ' Cranberry ')." 



As the disease is transmitted through the seed, it is most important to save 

 seed from healthy plants only. 



Scientific Committee, October 21, 191 9. 

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



Albino Ononis, etc. — Mr. J. Fraser brought an albino Ononis spinosa, a 

 proliferous state of Festuca elatior arundinacea, which he believed was due to 

 galling by insects ; specimens of Medicago falcata, which was at one time 

 confined to the Eastern counties, but which has now become established in 

 many places on the banks of the Thames in Surrey, and also in Middlesex. He 

 regarded these plants as new importations from the Continent. 



Stereum purpureum. — Mr. Fielder sent a piece of stem of plum from Bromley, 

 Kent, showing the fructifications of S. purpureum. One half of an adjoining 

 plum tree was dead, and all the leaves on the remaining half were diseased 

 Two other plums, all within 20 feet of each other and the above, were dead, 

 and one other dead tree had already been cut down. He said : " The undersides 

 of the branches were covered with the fungus." 



Scientific Committee, November 4, 191 9. 

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

 The only thing before the Committee was a seedling Abies for naming. 



Scientific Committee, November 18, 1919- 

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



Effect of droueht upon plants. — Mr. J. Fraser showed a series of potatos, 

 kohl-rabi, and French bean-seeds to illustrate the effect upon them of the drought. 

 They all showed splitting, and this was apparently due to cessation of growth 

 caused by the drought, followed by wet causing swelling beyond the capacity of 

 the skin to keep pace with. 



One or two plants were sent for naming. 



