CCXviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



forms at Dunstable in Papaver Rhoeas, and he found that these came 

 true from seed, at any rate for several years. He had also noticed forms 

 with several flowers growing from just below the flower in its normal 

 position, reminding one of the ' hen and chicken ' Daisy, in which 

 inflorescences behave in a similar manner. (See p. cxix.) 



V'stilago hypodytes.^— Dr. Plowright sent a specimen of Ammophila 

 arundinacea " affected by the so-called Ustilago hypodytes. The affected 

 plant has been growing in my garden for the last fifteen years, annually 

 producing the fungus. The spores are produced inside the leaf sheaths, 

 so that the latter look as though they had been filled with snuff packed 

 in between the stem and the leaf. This year, however, the stems are con- 

 torted, and the growth very much distorted. The plant came originally 

 from Wells-next- the- Sea, Norfolk." 



Aster Tripolium. — Mr. Fraser, F.L.S., drew attention to the strongly 

 entomophilous character of the Sea Aster (Aster Tripolium), and especially 

 to the great variation in the number of ray florets found in the flower ; 

 many plants had the outer florets with broad rays, in some they were 

 narrow, though numerous, in others they were very few, while quite 

 frequently none at all were present. He found, however, that the various 

 forms were all alike regularly visited by insects, especially the hive bee, 

 the humble bee, and various flies (Syrphideae). The pollen was spiny in 

 all, and there were numerous papillae (from which an odour was exhaled ?) 

 upon the corolla and other parts of the flower. 



Sisymbrium Sophia. — Mr. Fraser also showed specimens of Sisymbrium 

 Sophia, in which, unlike the usual condition of things, the petals were less 

 than half the length of the sepals. 



Carrots splitting. — Several specimens of Carrots splitting lengthwise 

 were exhibited, and Mr. Sutton, V.M.H., said that this almost invariably 

 happened when the roots were left in the soil for a considerable time after 

 they had reached maturity. Another cause of the splitting was the rapid 

 absorption of water after a period of drought. 



Scientific Committee, September 29, 1908. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, with sixteen 

 members present and Mr. G. Paul, V.M.H., visitor. 



The late Mr. George Nicholson, V.M.H. — The chairman referred in 

 feeling terms to the great loss the Committee had sustained by the death 

 of Mr. Geo. Nicholson, who had been for many years an active member of 

 this Committee, and Mr. Bennett-Poc ; , V.M.H. moved, and Mr. Saunders, 

 F.L.S., seconded, a resolution tendering the sincere condolences of the 

 Committee to Mr. Nicholson's relatives. The resolution was carried in 

 silence, the members upstanding in their places. 



Sporting in Betinospora. — Mr. Paul, V.M.H., of Cheshunt, showed a 

 specimen of Betinospora squarrosa sulphurea which was growing into the 

 adult Cupressus form known as " plumosa," and which was still retain- 

 ing the colour of " sulphurea." The adult form of this variety had not 

 before appeared, though the variety alba had produced the plumosa type. 

 Betinospora is the juvenile stage of Cupressus, and this being so it is 



