SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, JANUARY 24. 



xlv 



Diseased Beech. — Mr. D'Ombrain sent specimens, which Dr. Cooke 

 kindly undertook to examine and report upon. 



Variety of Douglas Fir. — Dr. Masters showed a curious short-leaved 

 form of the Douglas fir which came up among a batch of seedlings in 

 Holland. It was at first thought to be a hybrid of that species with 

 Tsuga Sieboldii, but a transverse section of the leaf at once showed it to 

 be a true Douglas fir. 



Scientific Committee, January 24, 1905. 

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



Hensloic Testimonial. — Dr. Masters reported on this, and announced 

 that the presentation would be made at a meeting of the Scientific 

 Committee in March. 



Big Bud in Hazel. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., reported upon this as 

 follows : " The hazel buds are certainly attacked by mites, which very 

 much resemble the black currant bud mite both in appearance and in their 

 manner of life, but according to Dr. A. Nalepa, the great authority on 

 these creatures, they are different species. If he is correct, the mites 

 from the nut bush would probably not attack the currant bushes. The 

 species attacking the hazel is Eriophyes avellancs, the other is E. rib is. 

 The study of this genus of mites is very difficult, as the mites are quite 

 invisible to the naked eye ; consequently the mounting of specimens for 

 examination under the microscope is by no means an easy task. These 

 mites attack plants in a great variety of ways, some attacking the buds, 

 others the leaves, forming blisters on them, as in the case of the 1 Pear- 

 leaf blister mite,' or curling the edges of the leaves, like the species 

 which attacks the hawthorn, or forming the galls like little coral beads 

 on the upper side of the leaves of the maple, or the curious ' nail-galls ' 

 on the leaves of the lime. If the nut-bushes are badjy attacked, I 

 should certainly root them up and burn them ; otherwise cut out the 

 infested shoots and burn them, keeping a good look-out for further 

 infestation, which should be at once treated in the same manner." 

 Mr. Michael, F.L.S., remarked that it was extremely unlikely that the 

 same species of mite would attack plants so widely different as the hazel 

 and the currant, although species are known that attack more than one 

 plant. Mr. Gordon, V.M.H., stated that he had seen hazel growing near 

 black currants attacked by the bud-mite, while that in other parts of the 

 same garden was free ; but this might have been because the conditions 

 were favourable for both kinds of mite. 



Spots on Phyllocactus. — Dr. Cooke, V.M.H., reported as follows on 

 this : " The dark convex spots near the edges of the leaves were hard and 

 somewhat resembled ' sclerotia,' but no mycelium or spawn could be found, 

 nor anything which could be construed into a fungoid structure. What 

 the dark bodies are must still remain as a 'puzzle for the curious.' " 



Branch of Ash Fasciated. — Mr. Odell showed a specimen of this 

 common growth, cat from the tree ten feet above the ground. 



Slime-fungus on Walnut. — Mr. Davidson sent a walnut having the 

 fungus Phycomyces nitens growing upon it. 



