Cxil PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



not affected, and, although intermixed with the vines attacked, 

 the vines are all in vigorous health, and bearing a fine crop 

 of splendid bunches of grapes. With regard to the treatment 

 they were receiving, I saw nothing to which I could object." 



Harpalus ruficomis attaching Straw berries. — Mr. McLachlan 

 showed specimens of this beetle, which belongs to a carnivorous 

 family. Its prevalence in Strawberry beds is probably caused 

 by the presence of the litter. That it will attack Strawberries 

 has been known for the last ten years, and that it has destroyed 

 entire crops. As it is nocturnal in its habits, it must be 

 looked for at night, for it lives in the soil. 



Scientific Committee, July 13. 



Dr. M. T. Masteks, in the Chair, and five members present. 



Malformed Fungi in Mushroom Bed. — A letter was received 

 from Mr. Taylor, Penbedw, Mold, criticising the reports sent to 

 the last meeting with reference to the loam, as he had splendid 

 results last year with the same loam cut from the open pasture. 

 As the specimens have been lost in the transit to Kew, the 

 committee has been unable to receive the report of an expert 

 upon the fungi themselves. 



Cucumber with Adherent Leaf. — A specimen was received 

 from Mr. E. Horsley. The petiole of the leaf had become 

 fused with the base of the fruit, the result being a distortion 

 in the latter — a not uncommon phenomenon. 



Cattleya, Synanthic. — This was a fusion between two 

 flowers, the effect being to arrest some parts of the whorls, so 

 that each flower became dimerous. There were two lips. 



Poppy with Pistilloid Stamens. — A flower of Papaver Rhaeas 

 was exhibited with this peculiarity. It is rare in this species, 

 but not infrequent in some others, as the Icelandic. 



Chemical Composition of Cattleya. — Two papers prepared by 

 Mr. Smee were laid before the committee by Mr. Veitch, to 

 whom they had been addressed, as Chairman of the Orchid 

 Committee. The first contained some figures connected with 

 the composition of the atmosphere ; analyses of old and young 

 pseudo-bulbs were also given, and of the flower, including 

 observations upon the colouring matters of plants. Professor 



