clxXXVili PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Parrot Tulips Seeding. — Mr. Wilks brought ripe pods and 

 seeds of this variety, which he had crossed with the pollen from 

 other kinds of Tulips growing in his garden. It had been 

 stated by growers that the Parrot Tulip had not been known 

 to bear seed at all, and Mr. Henslow observed that of some 

 bulbs received from Mr. Barr, in every case the pistil was 

 abortive. It is proposed to raise plants from the seed thus 

 obtained. 



Abies bracteata Cones. — Fine specimens were received from 

 Mr. A. Harding, The Gardens, Orton Longueville, Peterborough. 

 They were borne by one of the finest specimens of this species in 

 England. The tree is a native of South California, growing in 

 Santa Lucia, and is in danger of becoming extinct. The cones 

 are remarkable for their long linear bracts. 



Cedrela Toona fasciated. — A remarkable specimen, con- 

 sisting of a spirally coiled, flattened branch, two of the coils 

 being welded together, was exhibited by Dr. Masters. The 

 specimen came from Dr. Franceschi, Santa Barbara, South 

 California. 



Abies balsamea. — A specimen was received from Mr. Noble 

 of a young plant which had developed a globular tuber-like 

 excrescence below the soil. Similar cases had occurred some 

 years ago in the same grounds, but the cause is not traceable in 

 the present stage of growth, though it may possibly be due to 

 some injury by insects at a very early stage. 



Juniper Berries gymnospermous. — Dr. Masters exhibited some 

 berries of the common Juniper, received from Dr. Schroter, of 

 Zurich, remarkable for the three coherent bracts not having 

 become fleshy enough to close in upon the seeds, so that the 

 latter remained visible, free, and strictly " gymnospermous," as 

 in the previous condition of the ovules. 



Trapa natans, Fruit. — He also showed specimens of the 

 Water Chestnut from the Lago di Muzzano, near Lugano, having 

 four knobs upon them, which do not occur on the ordinary form 

 of this fruit. Specimens of another variety, var. Verbanensis, 

 were shown from the Lago Maggiore. 



Spruce Fir-cone, var. — He also showed cones of a variety of 

 Picea excelsa having smooth-rounded scales, instead of the 

 usual form. Dr. Schroter, who gathered it in Switzerland, 

 referred it to Picea medioxima ; but Dr. Masters observed that 



