XXX PROCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
fibres by electricity. The trunk from which this specimen was taken was 
that of a tree grown in East Anglia, and purchased for timber by a timber 
merchant in King's Lynn, from whose wood-yard it was obtained. The 
amount of injury was comparatively slight, consisting only of a groove 
cut from top to bottom of the trunk, about 2 inches wide, and extending 
only a very short distance into the woody tissues, but tearing them 
up longitudinally into strips several feet in length." 
WitcJies' Broom on a Scotch Fir. — This was received from Dr. 
Plowright, who writes : — The specimen is sent by Hamon L'Estrange, 
Esq., and was found growing upon one of the Fir-trees in his park at 
Hunstanton Hall, Norfolk. It consists of a mass of hypertrophied 
' dormant buds.' measuring a metre in circumference round its widest 
part, and weighs 2J kilogrammes. It is borne upon a branch which 
shows eight angular rings, and springs from a lateral shoot. It is inter- 
esting to observe that this shoot is itself hypertrophied, as compared with 
the corresponding one on the opposite side of the branch, but that this 
hypertrophy only extends as far as the growth beyond which it is atrophied 
and dead. The growth itself consists of seven or eight rounded masses, 
composed of aborted shoots — partially developed buds closely aggi-egated. 
The masses are of varying ages, some bearing green leaves, while others 
are quite dry and dead." The origin is supposed, in some cases, to be 
due to the attack of a Phytoptus, in others to a fungus, .Ecidium. 
Malformed Bulbous Plants. — A quantity of decayed and arrested 
bulbous plants were received, both from St. John's Wood Cemetery, 
Marylebone, and from Lincoln's Inn Fields. Both cases illustrated the 
effect of premature growth from the very mild winter, followed by severe 
check during the week of frost, and subsequently by excessive wet. Mr. 
Henslow observed that on the high ground and clay soil of Holland Park 
bulbs have come up exceedingly well, having been planted in September. 
Apple Trees affected by Grubs. — Specimens received from the Chiswick 
Gardens were referred to Mr. McLachlan, who has reported as follows : — 
" The larvae in the Apple-twigs are no doubt those of Laverna vinolentella, 
which was formerly considered a variety of L. atra (the larva of which feeds 
on the fruit of Hawthorn), but is now regarded as distinct. I am not 
aware that it has ever been found sufficiently common to occasion serious 
damage, but as the egg is, no doubt, laid in or on a bud, and the depreda- 
tion primarily confined to the bud, it is evident that the question of 
serious damage is only one of degree." 
^ Odontoglossum crispum. — Dr. Masters exhibited a spray on which every 
flower had three, and sometimes four, stamens instead of one only. It 
was received from Mr. Young. 
Jatropha podagrica. — This scarlet flowered species which had been 
kindly brought up by Charles H. Cave, Esq., of Durdham Park, Bristol, was 
awarded a Botanical Certificate. It is a well-known plant in botanical 
gardens. 
