XY1H PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



been appointed to confer with the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, and to further the objects of the Committee so far 

 as horticultural investigation is concerned. It is hoped 

 that some of those who are engaged in practical horticulture 

 may be willing to assist the Committee by communicating 

 the results obtained, and allowing their operations to be 

 observed and recorded as indicated above. As a practical 

 example of the work contemplated, it is supposed that a 

 firm is trying to raise an improved form of some annual. 

 Each year a batch of seedlings of known parentage is pro- 

 duced. For horticultural purposes it is enough that the 

 good seedlings should be kept and the rest destroyed, and 

 so on until the new variety is " fixed/' But for scientific 

 purposes it is desirable that the appearances of the seedlings 

 in each crop should be put on record before any selection is 

 made, and the whole history of the variety thus preserved. 

 By measurement and photography this could often be done 

 by competent observers without putting the grower to any 

 extra trouble. The amount of such work which the Com- 

 mittee could undertake to record in detail must in the first 

 instance be small, and only the most suitable cases can be 

 undertaken. All information given to the Committee will 

 be regarded as confidential, and will not be published with- 

 out permission." 



In order to further the above objects, it is hoped that any 

 persons engaged in practical horticulture may be willing to assist 

 the Committee by communicating the results obtained, and 

 allowing their operations to be observed and recorded. The 

 Secretary of the Scientific Committee will be glad to receive any 

 communications. 



Currant 21ite. — Mr. Berry gave an interesting account of the 

 history and progress of this destructive pest, especially to Black 

 Currants in Kent. It was first observed some ten years ago. 

 but has now reached alarming dimensions. Miss Omierod 

 recommended picking off and destroying the buds infested with 

 the mite {Phytoptus ribis), the cause of the complaint. This 

 was done, but last year a sudden development occurred, when 

 picking berime useless. The " Baldwin," a very heavy cropper, 

 was the variety most seriously attacked. The '-Red Budded 

 Naples" were only slightly affected; but this variety is not a 



