Xlvi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Curious Moss-groivth. — Mr. J. P. Way, of Warwick School, 

 sent a remarkable specimen, found near the New Forest. It was 

 of the shape of a double convex lens, about 6 inches across ; the 

 stems all radiating from the middle. It was forwarded to Dr. 

 Braithwaite, who reports as follows : — " The moss is Leucobryum 

 glaucum, common in this state, but very rare in fruit. It grows 

 under two conditions : (1) In boggy heaths, when it takes a more 

 expanded form, being always wet ; (2) in woods, where it occurs 

 in circular patches, beginning of the size of a sixpence, rooting, 

 and going on increasing to the dimensions of a half-crown. The 

 branching goes on centrifugally, and the tufts are so dense that 

 the easiest way for them is to lie between the surface of the 

 ground and the older stems above. Then, probably, after the 

 first heavy rain the cushion swells up like a sponge, and is torn 

 away from the earth, to become a white lump when dry, which 

 is then blown about by the wind, just like the Rose of Jericho, 

 Anastatica hierochuntica. The plant would not grow again as 

 a whole, but it throws off small ones, which grow and form new 

 colonies. (See Br. " Moss Flora," page 85.) 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLE COMMITTEE. 



January 14, 1896. 



Philip Crowley, Esq., in the Chair, and eighteen members 



present. 



Awards Recommended :— 



Silver-gilt Knightian Medal. 

 To Messrs. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, for a collection of 100 

 varieties of Cooking Apples in splendid condition. 



Silver Banksian Medal. 



To Mr. J. Watkins, Hereford, for a collection of new and 

 little-known Apples, many amongst them being local seedlings. 



To Messrs. Laing & Son, Forest Hill, for 3G dishes of Apples 

 and Pears. 



