clxviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



good ; bone dust also gives vigour to Carnations. I have also used ground 

 oyster shells with the best results." 



Pa paver dubium, semi-double. — Rev. W. Wilks showed a small plant 

 of this species found wild in a semi-double condition. As the entire plant 

 was about 5 inches high, and the blossom 1 inch in diameter, the 

 " doubling " was probably a result of starvation, a not infrequent cause. 



Conference in New Zealand. — Mr. Hunt gave some account of the 

 Conference in New Zealand upon fruit-growing and horticulture ; and an 

 interesting discussion followed upon plants of New Zealand desirable for 

 cultivation in England, in which Canon Ellacombe, Dr Masters, and 

 others took part. 



Scientific Committee, August 4, 1903. 

 Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and six members present. 



Late- flowering Plums, dc. — Mr. Hooper had noticed that various 

 modifications occurred in the flowers of fruit trees at the present time. 

 Petaloid sepals and semi-doubling of petals with two carpels, forming 

 twin Plums, were not uncommon. It was observed that in the common 

 cultivated double Cherry there are always two foliaceous carpels present. 

 Pear trees, &c, have also produced a second crop of flowers, which are 

 borne on the ends of the young shoots instead of on spurs. 



New Crocus. — Mr. Bowles exhibited dried specimens and drawings of 

 C. caspius from Russian Talych, S.W. Caspian, with a white flower tinted 

 with rose. He also showed the autumn-flowering C. Scharojani from the 

 Caucasus. It is of an orange colour, and carries the leaves of the last 

 season simultaneously. 



Papaver pavoninum. — Mr. Wilks showed a plant from Central Asia 

 remarkable for a crescent-shaped black band near the base of each petal 

 (see Gartenflora, 1882, p. 290, t. 1095). 



Cucumber diseased. — Mr. Davis, of Bitton, Bristol, sent roots and 

 leaves of Cucumbers which had failed. Mr. Saunders reported : "I found 

 that the extreme base of the stem was attacked by small worms belonging 

 to the family Encliytracidcz, which are nearly related to the earthworms, 

 and are well-known pests at the roots of plants ; they were undoubtedly 

 the cause of the unhealthiness of the plants. Lime water will kill them 

 in a few minutes if it can be made to reach them ; thoroughly drenching 

 the soil with this fluid might be of use, though I do not know what effect 

 it might have on the plants. The present specimens, however, are so 

 injured, that I should imagine the best thing to do would be to pull them 

 up and burn them, and burn or bury deeply the soil in which they grew. 

 I have carefully examined the leaves, and could not find that there was 

 anything amiss with them except that they were attacked by aphides. 

 However, the worms at the base of the stems were quite enough to 

 account for the decay of the plants, and the injury caused by the aphides 

 would be comparatively trifling." 



New Cucumber Disease. — Dr. Cooke, V.M.H., reported upon some 

 fruit badly attacked received from the neighbourhood of Bristol : " The 

 disease has made its appearance upon mature fruits, and threatens to 



