clxxvi PROCEEDINGS OE THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



High-frequency Currents and Plant Life. — Mr. C. E. Shea gave 

 an interesting and suggestive account of the action of high-frequency 

 electrical currents upon various forms of life, dealing especially with 

 their action upon Phylloxera. He considered that, while a short time 

 ago the destruction of minute organisms by means of the electrical 

 current was within the realms of possibility, it had now become extremely 

 probable that in the near future the application of high-frequency currents 

 would prove a useful method of destroying many pests which were only 

 with difficulty able to be dealt with at present. 



Scientific Committee, December 31, 1907. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., in the Chair, and four members 



present. 



Cankered (?) Rose Boots. — A report was received from Mr. Giissow 

 concerning the Rose roots shown by Mr. Jenkins, as follows : — " I find 

 the trouble with the Rose roots is not canker, and cannot be transferred 

 from one plant to another. It is generally accepted that canker is caused 

 (a) by frost ; (b) by fungus ; (c) by any other mechanical injury which 

 fungi have infested. In the present case there is no fungus present, and 

 if the root in the attacked plant (when repotting) is cut away, no injury 

 will be done to the plant. The growth is nothing but a continuous 

 formation of adventitious roots, especially where the root is bent or 

 injured. New callus is formed, and from that callus rootlets are 

 everywhere sent out ; but as the plant depends on the root system 

 of the Manetti, no use is made of these roots, and they develop but 

 little." 



Grease Bands and Winter Moth. — Messrs. W. Voss, of Millwall, 

 showed specimens of grease bands taken from trees on Mr. Michell's 

 fruit farm, Enfield Highway, covered with both male and female specimens 

 of winter moth (Cheimatobia brumata). The bands had been placed on 

 the trees in the middle of November, and no other insects but these had 

 been caught, with the exception of two or three weevils. The Chairman 

 remarked that the time of appearance of wingless moths varied greatly 

 with the seasons, some being found as early as the beginning of October. 

 Grease banding to be thoroughly efficient should be commenced then, and 

 the bands should be kept sticky until near the end of March in order to 

 capture other species of a similar nature. 



Seed and Soil Inoculation. — Mr. Chittenden gave some account of 

 his experiments with seed and soil inoculation of leguminous crops. 



Double Anemone blanda. — Rev. Canon Ellacombe sent buds of this 

 beautiful form, which has occurred in his garden, remarking that it 

 is the first Anemone to show buds this season. 



