SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



September 14, 191 5. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, and six 



members present. 



Erica vagans dejormed. — Mr. P. D. Williams sent specimens of 

 Erica vagans in which the flowers were replaced by multiple bracts. 



Pear-like Apple. — Mr. E. A. Bunyard, F.L.S., sent an apple with 

 a curious pear-like form, very similar to one described by Parkinson, 

 and possibly identical with his. 



Begonia leaf-mite. — Mr. Lydiatt, of Barnwell Castle Gardens, 

 Oundle, sent foliage of Begonias attacked by the Begonia leaf-mite, 

 which had been fumigated without avail. Dipping affected foliage 

 in a wash made by kneading flowers of sulphur into a handful of soft 

 soap, and subsequently dissolving the mixture in ij gallon of water, 

 appears to be the safest and most effective means of checking this 

 pest. 



Glassiness in Apple. — Mr. Smith, of Lewisham, sent a fruit of 

 ' Lord Derby ' grown at Forest Gate showing the glassiness which is 

 common in many varieties of apples in certain seasons, and is apparently 

 due to some physiological cause. 



Galls on Sainfoin. — Mr. J. W. Odell showed specimens of the Giant 

 Sainfoin with galled flowers in which the ovaries had not developed. 

 The insect causing this condition has been identified provisionally 

 by Prof. F. V. Theobald as Contarinia onobrychidis Kieffer, one of 

 the Cecidomyidae. The attack seems to be general in Cambridgeshire 

 and will cause serious loss in seed. Feeding off with sheep, deep 

 cultivation, and a re-arrangement of the rotation so as to separate 

 leguminous crops appear to be necessary to lessen the attack. 



Virescent Honeysuckle. — Mrs. Dowding, of Wimbledon, and Mr. 

 Odell both showed virescent, regular flowers of the common Honey- 

 suckle, similar to those described in Masters' ' Teratology.' It was 

 not stated whether the plants were attacked by aphides, as is so 

 frequently the case when the flowers are found in this condition. 



Gladioli and Montbretias. — Corms of Gladioli and Montbretias were 

 sent from various sources with the complaint that they had failed to 

 flower properly and that the foliage had become brown prematurely. 

 The Committee considered the trouble to be due to alternate periods 

 of drought and moisture. No fungus was present on the corms, and 

 the fungus spots upon the leaves were evidently saprophytic. 



Pear attacked by Mites. — Mr. J. Ramsbottom, M.A., reported that 

 the pear leaves submitted to him had been damaged by one of 

 the spinning mites, Tetranychus bimaculatus. 



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