SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, OCTOBER 7. 



CXC111 



was recorded that six tons of hail were found in the basement of a house 

 after the storm. 



Fir and Cryptococcus. — Mr. F. Lloyd, High Sheriff of Buckingham- 

 shire, sent a bough infested by this insect. The tree had died after four 

 years' attack. Mr. Saunders undertook to examine and report upon it. 



Mushrooms and Mites. — Mr. Gaut, of Leeds, sent some specimens 

 badly attacked by mites, which, with their eggs, were quite observable. 

 They are said to be wholly destroying the crop. Mr. Saunders examined 

 them, and reported as follows : — " The Mushrooms are badly attacked by 

 one of the ' bulb-mites,' Bhizoglyphus echinopus. I do not see what 

 can be done to destroy them except to clear out the whole of the Mush- 

 rooms and the top soil of the bed, and begin afresh. Any method of 

 killing the mites would certainly destroy the Mushrooms also ; soaking 

 the upper part of the bed with boiling water would kill the mites, but it 

 would equally kill the Mushrooms, and most probably the spawn. Before 

 making a new bed, I should wash down the walls or woodwork that 

 had in any way come in contact with the bed with paraffin emulsion or 

 paraffin mixed with water, one part of oil to twenty of water, or with 

 boiling water." 



Vine Leaves Burnt. — Leaves of Madresfield Court Grape were received 

 from Mrs. J. B. Wood, Henley Hall, Ludlow. No fungus could be 

 detected. It was suggested that the appearance was probably due to the 

 effects of the sun shining through the glass on the leaves when wet. 



Begonia Leaves Diseased. — Leaves were received from Mr. C. New- 

 ington, of Oakover, Ticehurst, Sussex. An examination by Mr. Saunders 

 revealed no insect pest ; but Dr. Cooke remarked that the peculiarity of 

 the disease occurring along the ribs and veins was very suggestive of 

 Gloeosporium, so that it might be an incipient stage of that fungus : such 

 being the feature of this disease on leaves of the Plane-tree. On further 

 microscopic examination, however, it was discovered that the disease 

 originates in the attack of an exceedingly small white insect of the 

 Tar sony mus tribe, and that saprophytic fungi follow on its depredations, 

 so that if the plants are kept free from the insect the disease will cease to 

 occur. Dusting with tobacco powder or syringing with a weak insecticide 

 is advised. Many stove and greenhouse plants are subject to similar 

 attacks besides Begonias. 



Chlorosis in Palms. — Mr. Odell exhibited seedlings of Kentia, showing 

 yellow, unhealthy leaves, taken from a batch of some thousands of seed- 

 lings, of which only a very small proportion were affected. A plant of 

 Kentia submitted to the committee in February last (with five others) 

 was in the same state as the seedlings shown, but when grown in a cool- 

 house wibh little shade, and potted in soil containing a trace of iron, the 

 leaves developed the ordinary colour. Mr. Odell added that Kentias and 

 Seaforthias (Archontophoenix) seem more subject to chlorosis than such 

 genera as Cocos and Bhapis. 



Germination in Amaryllids. — Mr. Worsley read a paper on this sub- 

 ject, which is given fully at page 852. 



Abnormal Onion. — Mr. Healey, of Hampton, Middlesex, sent a very 

 curious formation. The Onion was well formed below, and bore a green 

 stem of some six inches in length, which terminated with another Onion, 



