SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JUNE 19. 
XXXIU 
all varieties appear to be suffering more or less from the same cause. 
Professor Gordon, of the Cheshire Agriculture and Horticulture School, 
Holmes Chapel, wrote to us recently on the same subject, saying that 
many of his Potatos had only formed very weak spindly sprouts, no 
thicker than a knitting-needle, and there were a great many blanks in his 
crop ; and his experience is the same as ours, that many of the tubers are 
quite sound and hard in the ground where they have made the thin weakly 
sprouts complained of. 
"It is remarkable that tubers which were ' boxed,' and very carefully 
sprouted before being planted, are just as much affected as those which 
were planted before any sprouts were made by the sets. 
" Another interesting fact noticed on comparing many hundreds of 
samples is that the only case where Potatos have started well, with strong 
and healthy growth, are those which were grown last year in Scotland, 
where the climate and soil are comparatively moister than in England. 
" The only conclusion I can arrive at is, that in consequence of the 
excessive drought last year Potatos ripened prematurely, and owing to 
this the sets are not able to develop a healthy and vigorous growth this 
year. We find this especially the case with Potatos which were grown 
last year on hot gravelly soils. The tubers affected in many cases pro- 
duced shoots at the crown of the set, but these died oft", and the later 
growth is being made from weakly shoots put forth by the side buds or 
eyes near the stem-end of the set. 
" I can think of no possible remedy, and certainly in our experience 
we can remember no season when crops were similarly affected on so 
large a scale. 
"Mr. H. S. Daine, of AVoolfall Hall, Huy ton, Liverpool, mentioned 
at the York Show that his crop was suffering in the same manner, and 
he had sent tubers to Professor Marshall Ward for examination, and 
would let us know his reply." 
Carnations decaying. — Plants which had decayed at the base were 
received from Mr. R. Keeble, of The Pines, Horsall, Woking. Mr. Jas. 
Douglas reports upon them as follows : — 
" It is not an uncommon occurrence to find that Carnations grown 
under artificial conditions will die, as the example enclosed has done. 
There is no disease ; the roots have died owing to over- watering, or else, 
probably, the plants were allowed to become overdry ; in this case the 
delicate root-hairs are desiccated, and thus rendered useless. Too muoh 
water is then poured in, which makes matters worse. All plants suffer 
from this, and some die. Moreover, the dried peaty soil is unsuitable for 
Carnations. In my own large collection we lose a few every year ; the 
roots perish from some cause not always easily determinable, but I regard 
it as a matter of watering. The use of artificial manure in the soil will 
cause deaths in Carnations when grown in flower-pots. I dropped the 
use of it because of this." 
Grapes scalded. — Mr. H. Pethick, Trewartha, Weston-super-Mare, 
sent samples, upon which Mr. Douglas reports as follows: — 
" The Grapes sent are scalded, caused by insufficient ventilation, and 
probably too much moisture in the house. It occurs if the Grapes are 
entirely shaded by the leaves, and the Grape that suffers most from 
R 
