xliv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the fungus Dichlaena quercina, the fruits of which had not yet broken 

 through the bark of the shoots. 



Orange with lemon-coloured Segments. — Mr. W. C. Worsdell, F.L.S., 

 showed an Orange, part of which was normal in colour, but with a 

 longitudinal segment of lemon-coloured skin, and another quite 

 narrow and almost the colour of the skin of the Blood Orange. Nothing 

 was known of the origin of the fruit except that it was purchased in 

 a shop at Turnham Green. Mr. Bateson suggested that such sports 

 as these probably arise by segregation among the somatic cells similar 

 to that which apparently occurs among the germ cells. In his 

 '* Oranges and Lemons of India and Ceylon," p. 345), Dr. Bonavia 

 remarks upon a somewhat similar case in lemons, and figures it on 

 plate 259. 



Preparation of Dried Blood. — Dr. J. A. Voelcker remarked upon the 

 directions as to the preparation of dried blood for pot plants contained 

 in the " R.H.S. Gardeners' Diary " for 1915. He found that if blood 

 were allowed to coagulate and then with every 16 lb. of blood 4 oz. 

 muriatic acid and 4 oz. protosulphate of iron were intimately mixed, 

 and the mixture gently heated to 160 0 F., an inodorous powder would 

 be obtained. 



Poultry Manure. — Dr. Voelcker remarked that one of the main 

 difficulties with poultry manure was to obtain it in a sufficiently dry 

 state to handle. He was informed that if it were kept under cover 

 it could be dried with ease, and had found in a sample sent to him : 

 moisture, 22 per cent. ; organic matter, 52 per cent. ; phosphoric 

 acid, 3 '6 per cent. ; and ammonia, 6'i per cent. 



Effect of Boron on Plants. — Dr. Voelcker also recounted the 

 results of some experiments he had carried out at Woburn on the 

 effect of boron on plant growth. The experiments had been carried 

 out in glazed pots containing 40 lb. of soil, the crop being Wheat. 

 Both borax and boracic acid, added so as to bring the boron content 

 of the soil up to -i per cent, and x>5 per cent., caused death of the wheat 

 grains, while in a second set of experiments, where '02 per cent., 'oi 

 per cent., and '005 per cent, of boron in the form of boracic acid was 

 added respectively, no weeds, yellowish-leaved weeds, and one poor 

 sickly wheat plant only developed. The same percentage of boron 

 in the form of borax prevented growth altogether. In all his ex- 

 periments he had found lithium the most destructive, and lead the 

 least. In his experiments with strontium he found that "i per cent, 

 and "05 per cent, did not interfere with growth, though when added 

 in the form of chloride it had some slight effect. 



Hybrid Orchids. — Mr. Gurney Wilson showed on behalf of Messrs. 

 Flory & Black, of Slough, flowers of three plants resulting from 

 the cross Laeliocattleya x blelchleyensis [Laelia tenebrosa X Cattleya 

 Warscewiczii) x Cattleya Trianae. The flowers were respectively 

 white, white with purple lip, and purple-tinted with purple lip. There 

 was also considerable difference in form. 



Crocus biflorus var. — Mr. E. A. Bowles drew attention to a Crocus 



