xliv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. 



January 3, 1905. 



Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and eleven members present. 



Hcnsloiu Testimonial. — Dr. Masters, F.R.S., reported on the progress 

 made towards the completion of this. The subscriptions, confined to 

 members of the Committee, amount to about £40 at present. 



Diseased Carnations. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., reported concerning 

 carnation plants that he could find no trace of eelworms or insects 

 present ; and Dr. Cooke, V.H.M., wrote : " The plant examined gave no 

 evidence of fungus attack, but the root was completely rotted with 

 moisture. All the mischief evidently arose from mistakes in cultivation, 

 and this is sufficient to account for the result." 



Fungus on Agapanthus Stem. — T>T. Cooke reported on the specimens 

 which were brought by Mr. Worsley : " The black elliptical and elongated 

 spots on the dead stems are merely indications of the common saprophytic 

 mould, Cladosporium herbarum. Being kept in a damp atmosphere for 

 two or three days, every spot was velvety with the threads and covered 

 with the spores." 



Oranges Attacked by Scale. — Respecting the oranges from Seville 

 badly attacked by scale, Dr. Cooke reported : " There was not the 

 slightest trace of Fumago or Capnodium, or even of fungus or fungus 

 mycelium of any kind, except Penicillium glaucum, which soon made its 

 appearance and produced a plentiful crop." 



Pear Diseased. — Mr. Shea showed a pear which had several brown 

 decayed spots in the flesh, but seemed quite normal externally. Dr. Cooke 

 undertook to report upon it at the next meeting. 



Spots on Phyllocactus. — Diseased specimens of Phyllocactus shown 

 by Mr. Worsley ^ere referred to Mr. Saunders and Dr. Cooke. 



Germination of Sechium edule. — Mr. Odell showed specimens of the 

 curious fruits of this plant, known as the 1 Chaco ' or 'Chocho,' con- 

 taining germinating seeds. The plant belongs to the Cucurbitacece, and 

 the fruit is a 'pepo,' containing only one seed. The seed germinates 

 within the pepo, and is inseparable from it. Numerous roois are pro- 

 duced on germination, and the stem grows out through the fruit wall, 

 which subsequently becomes woody, while the cotyledons remain behind 

 in the fruit. Some discussion took place as to the fate of the radicle, 

 which appears to be of very limited growth. The fruit is used like the 

 marrow in the West Indies and in the United States of America. 



Big Bud in Hazel. — Buds of the hazel attacked by the bud-mite were 

 referred to Mr. Saunders, who undertook to report upon them. 



Plant for Naming. — Mr. J. R. Baker, of West End, Southampton, 

 sent some branches under the name of Thuya Lobbii. This naming was 

 confirmed by Dr. Masters, T. Lobbii and T. gigantea being garden names 

 for the true T. plicata. 



