xxii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



called in olden times Sclerotivm durum, when it was also recognised (see 

 Cooke's Handbook of British Fungi, p. 601) as the origin of the mould 

 Botrytis, or Polyactis cincrca. Berkeley described a mould on Lily-stems 

 as OvuJaria elliptica, for which I afterwards suggested Botrytis elliptica. 

 Marshall Ward, in his paper on Lily disease, seems to have made 

 acquaintance with the same mould, which he simply calls Botrytis. 

 Massee recently, in Joubn. R.H.S. vol. xxvi. p. 45, figures the mould under 

 the name of Botrytis cinerea. Possibly there is only one mould, and that 

 one the old Botrytis cinerea. But now, in latter days, this mould is 

 regarded as the conidial stage of a Peziza, under the name of Sclerotinia 

 Fuckcliana, and perhaps some others ; at any rate the little black 

 Sclerotium, the mould, and the Peziza are regarded as phases or con- 

 ditions of one and the same fungus." 



Dead Horse Chestnut Trees. — Dr. Cooke reported : — " Since the last 

 meeting I have been consulted as to the death of some old Horse Chest- 

 nut trees in Greenwich Park, which has been caused, it is confidently 

 affirmed, by a fungus which appears externally on the bark, and internally 

 in a plentiful mycelium, between the bark and the wood. The species 

 credited with this destruction is Stereum purpurcum, although, so far as I 

 am aware, neither Hartig nor any other of the German authorities on the 

 parasites of forest trees has mentioned the species as suspected of causing 

 disease or death. It is generally recognised that the yellow Steo-cum 

 liirsutum, which is so common on all dead wood as a saprophyte, is capable 

 also of becoming parasitic, and entering by wounds in the bark, causing 

 destruction of living trees. Hence it is not so improbable that Stereum 

 purpureum may also be capable of becoming a parasite. Another phase 

 of this subject is interesting. Not long since it was brought to the 

 notice of this Committee, Joubn. R.H.S. vol. xxvii. pp. 713, cxliii, cxlix, 

 that a paper had been published which contended that this same fungus 

 was the cause of 1 silver-leaf ' in stone-fruit trees." 



Araucaria Bidwillii Cone. — Mr. F. Bull, Southport, sent a cone. 

 The tree is about forty feet in height. Dr. Masters observed that it 

 fruited at Kew in 1873 [Gard. Chron. 1873, p. 561, fig. 73). As the tree 

 requires a great deal of space, it is not likely that there are many specimens 

 outside botanic gardens. The seeds are eaten by the natives of Australia. 



Campanula rotundifolia diseased. — Mr. WorsdeU exhibited specimens 

 in which the flower-buds were attacked by Cecidomyia campanula and 

 presented a swollen appearance. 



Pelargonium Stipules, Use of. — Mr. Davidson, Fanners, Wickham 

 Bishops, Essex, described an experience indicating a special use of these 

 organs : — " Some time ago I was struck with the 1 nursing ' properties of 

 the stipules of Pelargonia, which, when grown cold in winter, lose their 

 68. If for the sake of tidiness the withered stipules are also removed, 

 the buds are very slow to break in spring ; but if the stipules are left on, 

 the buds break much more readily ; a fact which I found to be due to their 

 ■ "'*'•" moisture, and thus softening the skin. Darwin has observed that 

 stipules sometimes serve to hold water." 



( tub-root in Crucifera, — In reply to a question as to remedies 

 Mr. Massee wrote : — " The germs are hungered out if the soil is kept free 

 from cruciferous plants— cultivated and wild— for four years, their exit 



