SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, NOVEMBER 6. 
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months act as suckers, and they very qnickly divert the nutriment from 
the ordinary channels to their own esophagus, to the ruin of their host. 
" Naturally enough it will be asked, ' What is the remedy ? ' It must 
not be assumed that all decaying Asters are eaten of worms. If, how- 
ever, the lens reveals their presence, drastic measures must at once be 
adopted. If it were possible, the moment sickness showed itself, to lift 
the plant, excise the injured part and reset it, the evil might be arrested. 
There would, however, still be two dangers. The plant might be unable 
to recover ; and if it did, the eggs of the worm, which are infinitely small, 
and would never be detected, may have been deposited in the tissues. 
This being so, young worms would soon appear again, and the plant 
succumb after all. The only way to insure the destruction of the pest 
when once in the plant is to uproot every sickly individual and consign 
it instantly to the flames." 
WiUoios attacked by ApJiis. — Kev. H. C. Brewster, of South Kelsey, 
Lincoln, sent specimens of Willow shoots infested with aphis. He 
observes that the Willow trees swarm with wasps. Mr. McLachlan, F.R.S., 
reports that the insects on the Willows were a large species of aphid 
known as Lachnus viminalis. They secrete quantities of " sugar,"which 
attracts innumerable wasps. It has actually been suggested in former 
times that this " sugar " might be utilised when the real article is 
scarce. 
Oak-leaves with Spangles. — Some leaves, extraordinarily and thickly 
covered with spangles, were sent by Mr. Winkworth, of Haughton Hall, 
Tarporley. Mr. McLachlan, F.R.S., observes that nothing can be done, 
but that tomtits devour them. They are not likely to cause any permanent 
injury. Pheasants are also said to be fond of them. 
Cystopteris hulhifera. — Specimens of the curious bud-like structures 
from the tips of the fronds of this Fern were sent by Mrs. W. Floyer, of 
Richmond Road, Basingstoke. They consist of two or three unequal- 
sized thick and fleshy scales ; the cells are green, but contain immense 
quantities of starch. 
Scientific Committee, November 6, 1900. 
Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S.,in the Chair, and two members present, with 
Mr. W. Fawcett, Director of the Public Gardens and Plantations, 
Jamaica. 
Oaks in Woods at Shirley. — Mr. Wilks exhibited various specimens 
of Oak-leaves. The prevailing English Oak of the woods of north-east 
Surrey is Quercus robur var. pedunculata, the leaves of which run into a 
great variety of forms, according to the amount of development or arrest 
of the interstitial tissue between the ribs. A second kind closely re- 
sembles the leaf of the Turkey Oak, Q. Cerris, or the moss-cupped Oak. 
Others appear to be hybrids between Q. Cerris and Q. rubra and also 
Q. r. pedunculata. Two trees were observed having leaves characteristic 
of the American Q. coccinea. This tree apparently never bears acorns in 
this country. 
Castanea vesca, Foliage. — Dr. Masters showed (from Mr. Burbidge) 
