XXVlii PROCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Daffodil flowering toithout Boots. — Mr. E. H. Jenkins sent an example 

 of a double-flowered daffodil which had grown well, but had produced few 

 and badly developed roots, illustrating the well-ascertained fact that 

 flowers are produced from properly formed bulbs when they are supplied 

 with sufficient water and warmth, the former being able to pass apparently 

 through the base of the bulb. 



Scientific Committee, March 5, 1907. 



The late Dr. M. T. Masters, F.K.S., in the Chair, and sixteen other 

 members present. 



Potato : Species and Varieties. — Mr. A. W. Sutton, V.M.H., showed, 

 an interesting series of potato plants and tubers as follows : — 



1. Plant of Solanum Commersonii (' the potato of Uruguay '), belong- 

 ing to the same stock as seen by the Committee at Reading last July. 

 The flowers of this species are white and sweet-scented, while the fruit 

 is cordiform. 



2. Three plants grown from tubers received this winter direct from 

 Uruguay, the tubers being collected from plants growing in a perfectly 

 wild condition. The collector states that there are two wild types in 

 Uruguay — one bearing white flowers, the other violet flowers. 



3. Tubers just received, supposed to be of the same species as the last, 

 bearing violet flowers, but found in another district at a great distance 

 from the last. The tubers were of a considerable size, some measuring 

 over 2 inches in length by 1\ inches across. It will be interesting to 

 notice later on (a) whether the last two are one and the same species, and 

 (b) what relation, if any, there may be between these last two and the 

 type Solanum Commersonii, now so well known and recognised. Possibly 

 this violet-flow T ered Uruguay potato may prove to be an unknown species. 



4. Two plants of Solanum Magli grown from single eyes. 



5. One plant of Solanum Commersonii violet (Labergerie) , and one of 

 the ' blue giant potato ' (Paulsen). 



Nos. 4 and 5 were grown from single eyes (with a large number of 

 others), under the same treatment under glass, in order to test the assertion 

 of Labergerie that a greater tendency to " mutation " is seen when single 

 eyes are removed from a potato tuber and submitted to a system of intense 

 culture. None of the plants under this treatment at present show any 

 tendency to mutate. 



Mr. Sutton kindly promised to bring these again before the Committee 

 when growth had proceeded further. 



Intumescence in Viburnum. — Mr. A. E. Bowles, F.L.S., showed some 

 shoots of Viburnum Tinus var., upon which small blisters were developed, 

 which later grew larger, until corky growths of considerable size were 

 developed. These were recognised as similar to growths described by 

 Dr. Sorauer under the name of " intumescences " arising from over- 

 turgidity of the tissues, and similar in origin to the warts on vine 

 leaves &c. 



Curiously coloured Seeds. — Mr. Bowles also showed seeds of Eavenala 

 madagascaricnsis, the traveller's tree, and of Trichilia indica. The 



