SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JANUARY 27. 



xxi 



Scientific Committee, January 27, 1903. 

 Mr. A. D. Michael, F.L.S., in the Chair, and twelve members present. 



Peas attacked by Grubs.— Mr. Saunders gave a further report upon 

 the specimens shown at the last meeting : — " I have examined a consider- 

 able number of the damaged Peas, and I cannot say definitely by what 

 insect they have been injured. The weevil {Bruchus pisi) certainly is no 

 the culprit. Many of them appear to me to have been attacked by the 

 ' Pea-moth ' (Grapholitha pisana), but I cannot find any trace of the 

 insect ; but that is not to be wondered at, as the moth lays her eggs on 

 the pods when they are quite young, whence the little caterpillars make 

 their way into the pods and feed on the Peas. When full grown they fall 

 to the ground, and become chrysalides in the soil. A few of the Peas 

 were attacked by mites, which were feeding on them in considerable 

 numbers • and it is possible that they were the sole cause of the mischief ; 

 but I think not, or I should have found them in a larger proportion of the 

 Peas. The mites no doubt only attacked the Peas after they had been 

 placed in store, and any receptacle in which they are placed should be 

 thoroughly cleansed ; scalding is perhaps the most satisfactory method 

 if it be practicable. If any Peas attacked by mites were sown, no harm 

 would be done. Some I examined would not have germinated, but the 

 pest would not spread in the ground. If the Peas were injured by the 

 caterpillars of the Pea-moth, it would be well, if not too late, to bury the 

 top three inches of soil on which they grew as deeply as possible, so as to 

 prevent the moths from leaving the chrysalides later on. The mites had 

 appeared, no doubt, after harvesting." 



Weevilled Peas. — Mr. A. W. Sutton, V.M.H., sent specimens for com- 

 parison with those just referred to in which the hole was quite irregular in 

 shape, whereas it is perfectly circular if caused by the weevil: — "I send 

 three samples of weevilled Peas as a comparison between these and the 

 maggoty seeds Mr. Baker sent, which may be of interest to the Committee. 

 No. 1 are English-grown early Peas of harvest 1901, with a few of harvest 

 1900. Both these seasons were exceptionally hot and dry, and it is only in 

 such seasons that we find English-grown Peas at all weevilled. Broad 

 Beans, on the other hand, are much more often attacked by these insects 

 than Peas, but in such a wet cold summer as the last the damage is very 

 slight indeed. In 1900 and 1901 a large quantity of Beans were badly 

 weevilled. No. 2 is a sample of 'wrinkled' Peas 'Champion of Eng- 

 land,' Canadian-grown, of harvest 1900. These you will find also show 

 the distinct clean circular opening made by the weevil in its escape from 

 the seed. As I said before, I never recollect seeing a sample of English- 

 grown wrinkled Peas weevilled. No. 3 is a sample of French Sugar Peas, 

 also weevilled, and you will find the dead insects inside some of these 

 seeds. These are of harvest 1901." 



Sclerotium on Lilium Flower-stalks. — Dr. Cooke, V.M.H., reported on 

 a specimen sent by Mr. Holmes, having a black Sclerotium on the flower- 

 stalks of Lilium candidum : — " In so far as a Sclerotium can be 

 determined, this appears to be the same as one which is common on the 

 stems of Hcracleum and other Umbcllifera, and which I think was 



