SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, FEBRUARY 11. 



XXV 



sterile), and plants approaching in appearance the original types were 

 produced. Thus when 1 Ragged Jack ' kale was crossed with swede in 

 the first generation plants somewhat intermediate were produced ; but 

 when seed from these was sown, of the resulting 198 plants, 160 had 

 bulbs, 88 had none, 142 had swede-like foliage, 38 had 'Ragged Jack '-like 

 foliage, and 18 were intermediate. In some cases the figures obtained 

 indicated that the characters segregated in the simple Mendelian pro- 

 portions of 3 to 1, or 9 to 7, but it seemed evident that in other cases the 

 matter was more complicated. In some of the crosses it is interesting to 

 note that the hybrids developed a purple coloration, though in the 

 foliage this was not to be seen in either of the parents. In the discussion 

 that followed it was remarked that in no case, although the type of plant 

 was regained in the second generation, did the progeny approach in 

 excellence of development the original parents ; and, as Mr. Odell 

 remarked, it was singular that the only plants that promise anything 

 of commercial value among all the crosses raised were the result of more 

 or less promiscuous interbreeding (see p. 43). 



Scientific Committee, February 11, 1908. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., in the Chair, and nineteen members 



present. 



Red Currant Tiuigs twisted. — Mr. Giissow showed shoots of red 

 currant twisted and curled at the tips, arising from the confinement of 

 the young growths under nets. 



Microloma linear e. — Mr. O'Brien, V.M.H., sent specimens of this 

 uncommon Asclepiad, showing how it climbs over bushes in its native 

 home in South Africa. The plant is very rare in cultivation. 



Bigeneric Orchid Hybrid. — Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart., showed a 

 hybrid raised between Diacrium bicornutum and Cattleya intermedia 

 alba. The colour of the Diacrium had been almost entirely lost except 

 for a tinge of sulphur in the labellum. The parent species are usually 

 regarded as being widely separated in natural relationship, but a hybrid 

 between D. bicornutum and Laelia cinnabarina was awarded a botanical 

 certificate on March 14, 1905. 



Nomenclature of Hybrid Orchids, dc. — Some discussion took place 

 with regard to the naming of hybrids between species assigned to two 

 or more genera. The general opinion was that such hybrids should, 

 when raised between plants belonging to two different genera, have the 

 names of both genera indicated ; but where the progeny was the result of 

 crossing a bigeneric hybrid with a plant of another genus altogether, a 

 purely conventional name should be assigned, preferably with a distinctive 

 termination. The further discussion of the matter was adjourned to 

 another meeting. 



Diseased Sweet Williams. — Lady Hopkins, of Romsey, sent Sweet 

 Williams in a dying condition, with pale brown spots upon their leaves, 

 which were due to the attacks of the fungus Puccinia Dianthi. This 

 fungus frequently proves fatal to the Sweet William, and the infection is 

 said to be carried in the seed, so that whole batches are killed. The 



