SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JUNE 9. 



Xli 



Lobbii, and R. Brookeanum var. gracile) was crossed with R. 

 malayanum the result was almost pure malayanum. 



Larch Disease. — Dr. Masters exhibited a specimen showing 

 the fungus, Peziza Willkommi, in the fruiting stage. It had 

 attacked the stem to such an extent that the whole of the wood 

 had grown excentrically. 



Abies amabilis.—He also exhibited a fine spray of this tree 

 laden with many catkins of a brilliant red and yellow colour. 

 It had been previously described, from imperfect specimens, as 

 bearing single catkins only. 



Scientific Committee, June 9, 1896. 



Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and nine members 



present. 



Experiments in Colouring Flowers. — As a preliminary 

 experiment, Dr. Russell tested the power of the soil to retain 

 the various salts proposed to be used in the case of white Pelar- 

 goniums. He took two glass tubes, 1 foot in length and § inch in 

 diameter and drawn out at one end. These were filled with soil 

 from a garden, the amount being 8h cubic inches. He poured in 

 a solution of sulphate of copper (13 grains to the pint, or £ oz. to 

 the gallon). The water which came through was tested ; but 

 4^ pints passed through before any trace appeared, and that 

 only after one month ; 56 grains were held by the soil. 

 Similarly with sulphate of iron : 3t> pints of the solution passed 

 through before any iron was present in the water. This took 

 twenty-eight days, so that 47 grains were held by the soil. As 

 an additional experiment, some of the same soil was saturated by 

 shaking it with water ; it was then put into a tube similar to the 

 previous ones, and sulphate of copper (13 grains to the pint) 

 poured on as before ; 2| pints passed through before any copper 

 was traceable. This took fifteen days, so that 36 grains were 

 held by the soil. The next experiment was made with ammonium 

 salts. Ammonium nitrate was poured on the soil (13 grains to 

 a pint) ; 4 oz. came through before the ammonium salt was 

 found. The soil thus retained 2| grains. This took only three- 

 quarters of an hour. Ammonium chloride. — With this salt, 



