SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JUNE 23. 



xlv 



hybrid is intermediate, but approximates P. rupifragum. With 

 regard to other hybrid Poppies, Dr. Masters observed that M. 

 Vilmorin had succeeded in crossing P. orientale with P. somni- 

 ferum, and also with P. Rhaeas. Mr. Wilks tried very carefully 

 to cross a Shirley Poppy with the Iceland Poppy, but the result 

 was identical with the Shirley strain, except that the influence of 

 the Iceland pollen seemed to have brought back all the wild black 

 blood of P. Rha3as, the elimination of which is the distinguishing 

 mark of the Shirley Poppies, and that to which they owe their 

 chief beauty. 



The Leek. — Dr. Masters exhibited a curious specimen, in 

 which the leaves were very large, concrescent, and spiral in 

 growth, forming a large sheet. 



Scientific Committee, June 23, 1896. 



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

 present. 



Dianthus, Colours of. — With reference to the colours of Car- 

 nations, Mr. Douglas observed that the yellows are apt to revert 

 to other colours, and mentioned as an instance 200 seedlings 

 from a yellow, among which no yellow appeared. 



Cabbage Palm Fruit. — Mr. J. H. Maiden, successor to Mr. 

 Ch. Moore, formerly curator for fifty years of the Botanic Garden, 

 Melbourne, sent some fruit. They are small and globular, about 

 the size of marbles. The Palm is Livistona australis, described 

 as a tall and graceful tree, 80 feet in height. They were 

 forwarded to Chiswick to be grown. 



Tomatos, Monstrous. — Dr. Masters exhibited some Tomatos 

 of the modern globular form, remarkable for possessing small 

 exserted supernumerary carpels. These had grown on the 

 placentas in the place of ovules. It was not uncommon in the 

 old grooved Tomatos (due to the flowers having been synanthic), 

 but it had not appeared before on the smooth fruit. It was 

 received from Dickson's, of Chester. 



Pinus Lambertiana. — Dr. Masters also showed a shoot of this 

 tree, known in California as the Sugar Pine, bearing numerous 

 orange-coloured male catkins. 



