Xl PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Croydon, the tubers being much eaten by children in that neigh- 

 bourhood. He remarked that two children, of the ages two and 

 ten, had lately died, apparently poisoned by eating the leaves of 

 some wild plant, but its nature could not be discovered. 



Scientific Committee, April 27. 



Dr. M. T. Masters, F.E.S., in the Chair, and two members 

 present. 



Tulips Diseased. — With reference to the Tulips " Golden 

 Crown " sent to the last meeting by Mr. Thomas of Polegate, 

 the following is the report received from Kew :— " The leaves 

 are attacked by a fungus called Botrytis vulgaris, a destructive 

 parasite to various bulbous plants. The mycelium of the fun- 

 gus travels down the tissues of the host plant and forms minute 

 sclerotia in the bulb and also in the soil in which the plant is 

 growing. These sclerotia remain dormant during the winter, 

 and commence to grow the following spring when the young 

 leaves appear. Your correspondent is right in supposing that 

 he w T ill get no blooms. The wisest thing to do would be to 

 remove all the diseased plants. It would not be wise to plant 

 bulbs in the soil where the diseased plants have grown for the 

 next two years. If this cannot conveniently be avoided, then 

 let him plant 'trap-plants' — that is, comparatively worthless 

 bulbs — to take up the spores and sclerotia present in the soil, 

 and then remove them early in the summer before more sclerotia 

 or spores are formed." 



Podisoma sabincB. — Mr. E. Pollard, of Colwall, Great Malvern, 

 sent a specimen of Savin having the yellow jelly-like outgrowth 

 of this fungus from the stem. It is dimorphic, the second stage 

 being called Bcestclia cancellaia and is found growing on rosa- 

 ceous trees. 



Pinus Torreyana. — Dr. Masters exhibited specimens of the 

 large cones of this tree. It was found on the extreme southern 

 coast of California, extending over about three to four miles 

 only, and the group consisted of from 200 to 300 trees. It has 

 since been discovered on the island of Santa Eoza off the same 

 coast. It is now in cultivation. 



Lilies Diseased. — Mr. Noy, of Brentford, sent some Lilies. 



