SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JANUARY 22. 



XXV 



the soil the plants are growing in, soaking the bulbs in hot water of 

 a temperature of 125° Fahr. for about ten minutes to kill the mites in 

 them. He also recommended bisulphide of carbon, and it might be well 

 to try vaporite ; the latter is highly spoken of by some persons, but he 

 did not know of any properly conducted experiments having been made 

 with it." 



Cucumbers "going off." — These, sent from Botley, were reported upon 

 by Mr. Saunders as follows : — " I could find no sign of insects, worms, 

 or mites in the cucumber plants, nor could I detect the mycelium of any 

 fungus. The cellular tissue was much broken up in places, particularly 

 near the nodes of the stems — a condition which looked very much like 

 the work of eelworms — but I could not find any, either in the stems or 

 roots. I cannot suggest any reason for the plants ' going off.' " 



Diseased Gooseberry Shoots. — Mr. Chittenden reported that he had 

 examined the gooseberry shoots shown at the last meeting, and had found 

 upon them a few perithecia of the common gooseberry mildew, but none 

 of the American gooseberry mildew. 



Gypripedium malformed. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., exhibited a curious 

 flower of Cypripedium, in which, in addition to other malformations, a 

 second flower was growing in the axil of one of the floral segments. Mr. 

 Worsdell will report more fully upon it at the next meeting. 



Use of Destructor Befuse as Manure. — Mr. F. J. Baker said that he 

 had found the refuse from a dust destructor in which condemned meat, 

 infected clothing, &c. had been burnt very valuable as manure. It con- 

 tained a considerable amount of phosphates, and its effects were discernible 

 after having been applied four years ago, the crops raised having been 

 vetches, rye, peas, and barley. It was pointed out that the composition of 

 the refuse probably varied very greatly from different districts, and its 

 value could only be ascertained by analysis or by actual trial. The 

 sample shown was in the form of a fine powder, and Mr. Baker said he 

 had found it very useful for mixing with potting soil. 



Uncommon Coniferae. — Dr. Masters showed leaves, about nine inches 

 long, of a pine, called in certain catalogues Pinus Malleti, a name 

 which could not be found in any English list. The leaves enabled 

 him, however, to identify the pine as one of the numerous forms of 

 Pinus ponder osa. He also showed six probably seedling varieties of 

 Torreya Myristica (= T. californica), which he had received from Messrs. 

 Croux, of Chatenay, where it is quite hardy, although it is scarcely so in 

 England. The variations were principally in the form, direction, colour, 

 and length of the leaves, and in the habit of the trees. He also exhibited 

 a shoot of the true Abies lasiocarpa of Hooker, the species usually grown 

 under that name being a form of A. concolor. 



Boses dying. — Specimens of leaves and roots of roses and the soil in 

 which they were growing were received from Hoddesdon. The roses lost 

 their leaves very early, the tea roses especially suffering. The trouble 

 was probably attributable to the somewhat heavy soil containing too small 

 a percentage of organic matter, and the addition of farmyard manure was 

 recommended. 



Stocks diseased. — Stocks with leaves dying were received from Yateley. 

 They were attacked by the slime fungus, Plasmodiophora Brassicac, the 



