SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MARCH 17. 



xxix 



Scientific Committee, Maech 17, 1908. 



E. A. Bowles, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., in the Chair, and fourteen 

 members present. 



Agave and Yucca diseased. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., showed a specimen 

 of each of these plants attacked by a fungus. Mr. Giissow took these to 

 examine (see p. xxxii). 



Curious Boot of Dandelion. — Mr. Holmes, F.L.S., showed a root of 

 dandelion having numerous lateral roots springing at right angles from the 

 main root, and very much thickened. 



Inosculation in Hornbeam. — Messrs. J. Veitch sent branches of horn- 

 beam (Carpinus Betulus), taken from a garden hedge, in which a very 

 perfect junction had occurred between the two by a sort of natural 

 inarching or inosculation, as it is more properly called. Mr. Elwes, F.E.S., 

 drew attention to the fact that if young hornbeams are planted so as to 

 form a lattice, as time goes on inosculation occurs wherever two stems 

 come in contact, and finally an impenetrable hedge is formed. 



Tubers of Sechium edule. — Large tuberous roots of this plant, grown 

 from a tuber planted in a pot in the Melon House at Wisley, about the 

 beginning of September, were shown by Mr. Chittenden. The plant had 

 produced several large tubers, and these are said to be very palatable when 

 cooked, and greatly resemble yams in appearance. The plant had been 

 received under the name 1 Chrystophine,' and is also called 1 Choco.' The 

 plants had not fruited at Wisley. 



Crosses of Albino Orchids. — In reference to Mr. Hurst's communication 

 (p. xxvi) to the last meeting upon this point Mr. Rolfe wrote : — " Paphio- 

 pedilum insigne Sanderae x P. bellatulum album does not yield an albino 

 hybrid (see ' Orchid Review,' 1908, p. 72), as should have been the case 

 according to the theory mentioned by Mr. Hurst. It has very numerous 

 minute purple dots on both the petals and dorsal sepal, though the ground 

 colour is whiter, and the spots fewer and very much smaller than when the 

 ordinary forms of the species are crossed. P. bellatulum album 1 selfed ' 

 would, I have little doubt, come true, and P. insigne Sanderae x P. 

 Lawrenceanum Hyeanum I should expect to give coloured hybrids, 

 because it is a precisely parallel cross to P. insigne Sanderae x P. callosum 

 Sanderae, and combines the same quite distinct sections of the genus. In 

 fact, P. callosum and P. Laiurenceanum (with, of course, their albino 

 forms) are very intimately allied. The mysterious 1 factor ' supposed to 

 be involved I believe to be simply the opportunity for reversion which is 

 afforded by crosses between such diverse species. The two combinations 

 last mentioned should certainly be attempted." (See p. xxx.) 



Divarf Form of Bhododendron triflorum. — From E. Magor, Esq., of 

 St. Tudy, Cornwall, came a specimen of the dwarf form of Bhododendron 

 triflorum raised at the Royal Gardens, Kew, from seed sent there by 

 Mr. Peter Barr. The plant is not a foot high and flowers in Cornwall in 

 the open from a month to ten weeks earlier than the type, the earliest 

 date being the last week in February 1905. 



Seeds germinating in Fruit. — From Mr. Cave, Holker Hall, Cark- 

 in-Cartmel, came a fruit of tomato in which several of the seeds had 



