CXC11 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



greater amount of nitrogen, the exterior the greater quantity of 

 starch. This accounted for the " bursting" in a floury Potato, 

 which is relatively more free from albuminoid matters. The 

 cause of the interior portion being more consistent is that the 

 starch cells though bursting are held together by the curdling of 

 the albuminoid matters during cooking. The same peculiarities 

 appear in the thirty-four varieties examined. The intermediate 

 zone was also of an intermediate character with regard to its 

 structure and cell-contents. It was to be regretted that the 

 authors did not distinguish between the true albuminoids and 

 the amides in estimating their percentage of nitrogenous matter. 

 As a rule, the former amount to 1*3 in Potatos, but they had 

 estimated them from the total nitrogen as from 1*8 to 25. Dr. 

 Masters remarked that these observations corresponded with the 

 stem-structure of the Potato, in which the cortex was a starch- 

 reservoir as it is in trees, while the deeper layers correspond with 

 the phloem or proteid-holding sieve-tubes. 



Scientific Committee, November, 23, 1897. 



Dr. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and three members present. 



Gall on Jasmine. — With reference to the specimen brought 

 by the Secretary to the last meeting, Mr. MacLachlan reports 

 that it is quite impossible to fix on anything in particular in the 

 way of a cause, but the puncture of a Phytoptus is the most 

 probable. 



Phyllotreta on Cruciferce.—He also observed, with regard to 

 the beetles shown by Mr. Michael as destructive to Stocks, &c, 

 that " the genus is the one to which the ' Turnip-flea ' belongs. 

 There are about a dozen species in this country, all being much 

 alike. They all frequent the Cruciferae, and the fact that this 

 one was also found on Tropncolum only intensifies the fact that 

 most things which feed on the former will also feed on the latter, 

 as, e.g., the larva) of 1 Cabbage whites,' the interpretation being 

 that both contain the same chemical vegetable products." 



Dahlia, Hybrid (?). — Flowers were received from E. J. 

 Lowe, Esq., of Shirenewton Hall, Chepstow, supposed to be the 

 result of crossing a Dahlia with the pollen of a Sunflower. The 



