SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. NOVEMBER 9. 



cxci 



be Phyllotreta atra, one of the numerous " flea-beetles." 

 Miss Ormerod, to whom they were sent, suggests u trying a 

 mixture of equal parts of fresh gas-lime and quicklime, with 

 a much smaller proportion of soot, and about half as much 

 sulphur as of soot. These should be powdered up together very 

 finely, well mixed, and dusted on to the foliage when the dew is 

 on it, morning or evening. Just a sprinkling is enough. It 

 usually acts well if applied as above so as to adhere to the 

 beetles and foliage." She was under the impression, however, 

 M that liine similarly applied would do equally well." 



Ivy attacked by Dodder. — Mr. Chas. Herrin, of Dropmore, 

 sent specimens of Ivy badly attacked by a Cuscuta curopcea. He 

 remarks : " This parasite has established itself on the west 

 wall of our church, destroying the Ivy with which it is covered. 

 It has been thoroughly destroyed, Ivy and all, once, a few years 

 ago ; but now that the Ivy has begun to grow nicely again, half 

 covering the wall, it has again appeared, and is destroying it." 

 As the seeds must germinate in the ground, or perhaps in the 

 chinks in the wall as well, the aim must be to kill them before 

 germinating. If the ground by the wall received a good dressing 

 of slaked lime, it might prove effective. 



Cox's Orange Apple striped. — Mr. G. Swailes, of Beverley 

 sent an Apple, mostly red, but striped with green on one side, 

 the green colour being on the most exposed side. The cause was 

 unknown. Dr. Masters suggested the possibility of accidental 

 crossing having been the cause, for Darwin had described similar 

 results in an Orange pollinated by a Lemon. (An. and PI. under 

 Dom. i. p. 399.) Mr. Wilks mentioned that a Beurre d'Amanlis 

 Pear in his garden had thrown out a green striped sport, also a 

 bough bearing golden foliage. 



Gall on Jasamine. — Mr. Henslow exhibited a large globular 

 gall which he had taken from the stem of this plant. As 

 no fungus was present, it was sent to Mr. McLachlan for 

 examination. 



Composition ofPotatos. — Professor Church gave some account 

 of the recent researches of MM. Coudon and Bussard on the 

 distribution of the constituents in Potatos. They found that a 

 slice of a Potato revealed three zones. The external one beneath 

 the epidermis contained 73 per cent, of water, the central holding 

 about 80 to 8-4 per cent. ; that the central part contained the 



