SC IENTIFIC COMMITTEE, NOVEMBER 4. 



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(Hetcrosporium). It occurs on the leaves of Iris, Freesia, Antholyza, 

 and Hemerocallis, and is known not only in Europe, but at the Cape, 

 New Zealand, and the United States of America ; and will be found 

 described in Massee's Plant Diseases, pp. 321 and 440, and figured in 

 the present volume of the B.H.S. Journal on PI. V., p. 386, fig. 90. 

 Spraying with potassium sulphide is reported to check the disease, and 

 all diseased leaves should be cut off and burnt. If these precautions are 

 attended to, and the foliage is not watered, the disease may be controlled. 

 Also spraying with ammoniacal copper solution checks the disease, after 

 clearing away diseased leaves." 



Grubs among Sedums. — Mr. Saunders reported as follows on some 

 specimens sent by Mr. Maynard, Wymondham, Norfolk : " They are the 

 grubs of one of the weevils, either the black Vine-weevil (Otiorhynchus 

 sulcatus), or the clay-coloured weevil (0. picipes), but the grubs of these 

 species are so much alike that it is almost impossible to tell them apart. 

 However, as the life-history of both is exactly the same, it does not make 

 much difference from a cultivator's point of view. The parent weevils 

 lay their eggs at the roots of various soft-rooted plants : Sedums, Primulas, 

 Begonias, Cyclamen, and Ferns being great favourites. The weevils 

 themselves are also very destructive to the foliage and tender shoots of 

 Vines and many other plants, particularly Ferns and Dracaenas. I do 

 not know of any means of killing the grubs except by picking them out 

 from among the roots. Any insecticide that would kill the grubs would 

 certainly be equally destructive to the plant. The beetles are not often 

 seen, as they feed at night, and hide themselves very carefully during the 

 day. They may be caught by putting a white cloth under the plant that 

 they are attacking before it becomes dark. If the plant is in a pot it is 

 better, if possible, to lay it on its side ; then, after it has been dark for an 

 hour or so, throw a strong light suddenly upon the plants. This will 

 generally cause the weevils to fall off, when they will easily be seen on 

 the cloth ; if they do not fall, give them a jarring shake, and search well. 

 Small bundles of dry moss or hay make good traps ; they should be laid 

 on the soil in pots, near the stems of the plants, or, in the case of creepers, 

 tied on to the stems or shoots, so that when the weevils are seeking 

 shelter, they should find one close at hand. The traps should be ex- 

 amined every morning. These weevils are either black, and about half 

 an inch in length, or of a dull, pale, yellowish-brown colour, and about 

 half an inch in length, according to the species. 



Partial Separation of Parental Characters in a Hybrid Cijpri- 

 pedium. — Capt. C. C. Hurst sent a flower with the following com- 

 munication : " A plant of Papliiopedilum x Canhami (P. superbiens x 

 P. villosum), which hitherto has always produced normal flowers with 

 me, has now produced the curious flower exhibited. One side of the lip 

 or slipper is normal in colour, being evidently a fair blend between the 

 parent species. The other side of the lip may be divided into three 

 distinct areas : (1) a narrow band of rich brown-purple, as in the parent 

 P. superbiens ; (2) a broad band of greenish-yellow, as in the parent P. 

 villosum-, (3) the remainder of the lip being a normal blend between the 

 two parents. We have here evidently a partial separation of the mixed 

 ' blood ' of the parent species, the result being a mosaic rather than a 



