CXV1 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Outgrowths on Potatos. — Mr. Sutton sent some tubers having 

 curious excrescences upon them, received from Mr. Kerr, of 

 Dumfries. They were reserved for examination. 



Asters Diseased. — Mr. W. P. Wright, of Fairview, Willes- 

 borough, Ashford, Kent, sent some specimens, and observes that 

 " Growers of Asters in East Kent, especially in the Dover district, 

 are in trouble over an Aster disease which destroys thousands 

 of plants. Some go off directly they are put out, others at a 

 later stage. I found small white grubs in the lower part of the 

 stems, and I do not feel any doubt that they are the cause of the 

 mischief." In the Naturalist, the organ of the Yorkshire 

 Naturalists' Union, there is a paper by Rev. Hilderic Friend on 

 this subject. The worms in question are of the family of 

 Enchytrreida?, a group of annelids. Mr. Friend discovered a 

 presumably new form in China Asters, and named it E. parvulus 

 on account of its minuteness. A full description of the worm is 

 given in Mr. Friend's paper. There is nothing to be done but 

 consign the plants attacked to the flames. An account of the 

 Aster worm will be found in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 

 August 14, 1897, p. 89, with figure. 



Melons with Seeds Germinating. — Mr. Yeitch read a letter 

 from Mr. A. McKellar, gardener to H.E.H. the Prince of Wales, 

 Sandringham, describing a Melon sent to Marlborough House 

 which was full of young Melon plants, quite green. They were 

 plunging their roots into the pulp, and feeding upon it. Similar 

 growths have often been seen in Lemons and Oranges, as well 

 as Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Papaws, and other fleshy fruits. The 

 cause appears to be that the fruit has been kept some time in a 

 warm atmosphere. 



Scientific Committee, August 9, 1898. 

 Dr. M. T. Masters, F.E.S., in the Chair. 



Present : Mr. Bennett-Poe, Rev. W. Wilis, Mr. Marshall, 

 Rev. Prof. Henslow, V.M.H., Hon. Sec, and the following 

 visitors : — Prof. J. Bailey, of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., 

 Herr J. K. Budde, Curator of the Botanical Gardens, Utrecht ; 

 and Mr. Gordon, Y.M.H. 



Tomato with Bed and Yelloiu Fruit. — Mr. J. McLean, 

 Luttrellstown, Clonsilla, Co. Dublin, sent some golden-yellow 



