CCXVi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



September 1, 1908. 



Mr. C. T. Druery, F.L.S., V.M.H., in the Chair, and seven members 



present. 



Mildew on Oak leaves. — Mr. Giissow reported that the fungus on 

 certain oak leaves sent for inspection is probably a form of an Uncinula ; 

 it is in its conidial stage Oidium sp. 



Gall on Wild Rose. — Mr. Douglas, V.M.H., showed specimens of the 

 gall on the rose caused by the two-winged fly, Cecidomyia rosarum. 



Streptocarpus. — Mr. Odell showed a light-coloured variety of Strepto- 

 carpus having a regular peloric corolla with six segments, the whole 

 flower being campanulate ; and a dark-flowered variety having the 

 peduncle branched and the bracts foliaceous instead of very small, as is 

 normal. 



Abnormal flowering of Laburnum. — Mr. Gordon, V.M.H., mentioned 

 that at the present time a Laburnum was flowering freely in his garden at 

 Kew. The tree had occupied its present position some fifteen or sixteen 

 years, and owing to it now taking up too much space all the branches 

 were cut back to within three or four inches of the main stem after it had 

 flowered last spring. The tree produced new shoots from the stumps of 

 the branches, and of these about two-thirds produced terminal racemes 

 of flowers, which were of a much larger size than the racemes previously 

 produced in the usual way. 



Eggs of Lace-wing Fly. — Mr. Druery, V.M.H., showed a ' Victoria ' 

 Plum upon which was a group of insect eggs on stalks, which had at first 

 sight an appearance of a fuagus, but it was determined to be the stalked 

 eggs of the lace-wing fly. 



Tomato with enlarged Calyx. — Mr. Wilson, Alveston, Chobham, 

 Surrey, sent a Tomato with an extraordinarily large calyx, the segments 

 measuring about 3 in. in length. It is not uncommon for the calyx to 

 grow to this extent, particularly if the tomato plants are allowed to bear 

 but few fruits on one branch. 



Diseased Apples.— My. Howlett, 36 JJracondale, Norwich, submitted 

 some Green Beaufin apples which were diseased. Mr. Giissow undertook 

 to investigate the matter. 



Yew blight. — A few diseased sprigs of Yew were submitted from 

 Mrs. Lyell, of Ruckmans, Oakwood Hill, Surrey ; the matter was left 

 with Mr. Giissow to report. 



Daffodil poisoning. — Dr. Plowright sent the following interesting 

 note : " One often hears of cases in which the handling of Daffodil flowers 

 by the gatherers has caused poisoning, but how many arc really due to 

 the flowers themselves and how many to incipient eczema or other skin 

 disease on the part of the gatherer is not so clear. Cases in which the 

 bulbs themselves are partaken of as food are not nearly so frequent. The 



