SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, MARCH 14. 
XXVll 
W. G. Smith, Yorkshire College, Leeds, to whom a vote of thanks was 
unanimously accorded : — 
" The Dahlia cuttings when received showed various stages of 
blackened discoloration, where they had been in contact with the soil, 
and also on the older leaves, especially where they joined the stem. 
Where the blackening was worse the tissues were filled with bacteria, and 
fungus filaments were present. After a few days in a moist chamber the 
cuttings became black and rotten, the bacteria were more abundant, and 
the fungus bore colourless spores of two kinds. Your correspondent 
suggests infection from Tomato-disease, previously present in the same 
house. We find that the two forms of fungus conidia (and only two are 
present) occurring on this Dahlia material are almost (but not exactly) 
identical in form with those figured by Mr. Massee {Gardeners' Chronicle, 
June 8, 1895) in connection with the Tomato * sleepy disease.' Whether 
this is a coincidence or a connection, it is as yet too early to say. There 
is, however, little doubt that this Dahlia disease affects the cuttings in 
the same way as the above Tomato-disease. It has its origin in the soil. 
Eemedies. — Your correspondent has tried sulphur in the soil with 
some good effect. No fungicide, however, will be so beneficial as — 
1. Fresh clean soil. 
•* 2. Ventilation, as far as it can be given. 
" 3. To water the freshly struck cuttings as little as possible till they 
form roots. 
4. To use boxes or pans which have been thoroughly disinfected, 
and to have houses and benches washed down with a limewash. 
In addition to these Mr. Massee recommends for the Tomato-disease 
to mix as much lime in the soil as the plant will stand. How far these 
measures can be carried out must he with the discretion of the grower." 
Dr. Miiller suggested sterilising it by baking the soil. 
Hybrid Narcissi. — Some specimens were received from Rev. C. Wolley- 
Dod, with the following remarks : — I sent a spontaneous hybrid which 
has come in one of my flower-beds. It is presumably N. pseudo-Narcissus 
var. minimus x N. cyclamineus. I also enclose specimens of the parents. 
I consider N. cyclamineus one of the best marked species of the genus. 
It is the only one which has the perianth almost sessile on the fruit. Mr. 
G. Maw once suggested to me that it might be produced by N. minimus 
xN. triandrus, but he overlooked this character — the tube of N. triandrus 
being very long. In the hybrid sent the tube is intermediate between 
that of the parents. The trunk of the perinth follows neither parent, 
being cylindrical, whilst that of N. p. minimus tends to be funnel-shaped, 
and that of N. cyclamineus is always ventricose and contracted towards the 
mouth. N. cyclamineus is a profuse pollen-bearer and seed-bearer, but 
the bulb, with me at least, is short-lived, and requires constant renewal 
from seed. I have also observed in another bed a hybrid, N. cyclamineus 
X N. pseudo-Narcissus, of some larger variety. The developed tube and 
glaucous broad leaf belong with certainty to pseudo-Narcissus, though 
the perianth is completely reflexed, as in cyclamineus." 
