SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JULY 17. 
XXXV 
is late, but even now it might do good. As a rule two or three applica 
tions at intervals of a fortnight or so are necessary, and it should be done 
in dry weather. The solutions used in spraying are generally poisonous, 
but they do no harm to the fruit when in a young state, and they render 
the foliage deadly to insects hatching from eggs laid on the trees. It 
soon disappears, but has done its work in the meantime. Spraying is 
used enormously in America ; less so here. Of course some ordinary 
common-sense care should be exercised, as with any poison." 
Straiuherry -lea ves diseased. — Mr. G. Lee sent some leaves attacked by 
the fungus SphcereUa fragarice, " Strawberry-leaf blight." It is a very 
destructive disease recorded from all parts of the United States and 
illustrated in " Diseases of Plants," Tubeuf & Smith, p. 215. 
Dahlia SynantJiic Sjjort. — Mr. Evan Davies, Bromley, Kent, sent a 
remarkable specimen of twin Dahlia blossoms united back to back on 
coherent flower-stalks. One blossom was yellow, with crimson centre ; 
the other entirely crimson. Which was the sport was not stated, but 
probably the latter. 
Aster Seedlings diseased. — ^The following report was received from Dr. 
W. G. Smith on samples sent by Mr. Basham, Bassaleg, Newport, 
May 7 :- 
" This disease begins at the neck of the plant or below the ground, 
and travels upwards through the plant, producing as it goes discoloration 
and softening of the tissues. There is fungus growth on all discoloured 
parts, and I believe the mycelium is the cause of the disease : it can be 
observed at the limit between discoloured and still green parts. Spores 
are produced of. an oval form and colourless, a form which gives little 
assistance in identification. Nematode eelworms were also observed, but 
it is not easy to say what part they play : I should say they lived on 
the decaying parts. It should be mentioned that the Rev. Hilderic 
Friend ascribes the Aster disease to a type of parasitic worm, but I did 
not observe this form. The cause of this Aster disease has not yet been 
satisfactorily cleared up in any papers I know." 
Tidips diseased. — ^Bulbs received from Mr. Maine, Penhill Close, 
Cardiff, were forwarded to Dr. Smith, who now reports as follows upon 
them : — 
" The plants received are infected with the Tulip Botrytis disease. 
The black bodies embedded in the bulb scales and dead leaves are the 
resting stages of a fungus which in its active stage has the form of repro- 
ductive organs known as Botrytis. It is a common disease, and this 
year I have reported on several cases, especially on Narcissus. On June 
2, in the Gardeners' Chronicle, I recommended a somewhat similar treat- 
ment to that found successful by your correspondent — namely, to lift the 
bulbs after the flowering season, keep them in a dry place, or in some 
mixture of lime or sulphur, and to treat with sulphur before replanting. 
There seems to be no other way open to deal with this type of fungus. 
The disease evidently occurs on certain kinds of soil, but exactly what 
kind I cannot say yet." 
