lxiv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Primrose Malformed. — Mr. A. W. SuttoD, Y.M.H.. brought specimens 

 which had been raised by division from the plant shown before the 

 Committee two years ago, in which " the umbel was partly formed, but 

 with multifold flowers of twelve parts, and with a partly petaloid calyx, 

 &e." The original plant was found in a wood close to Bucklebury Place, 

 Berks, and seventy or eighty plants have been raised from it by division. 

 Four of the plants have reverted to the common primrose, and show no 

 variation whatever from the ordinary type. All the rest have partly 

 formed umbels with multifold flowers, with the exception of three or 

 four, which more or less closely resemble the form of the polyanthus. 

 The plants, after division, have been left to the care of themselves, 

 planted under an east wall on poor soil. 



Double Primrose. — Mr. Sutton also showed double flowers of primrose 

 gathered from a plant growing wild. 



Ranunculus asiaticus var. sanguineus. — Mr. Sutton also submitted 

 specimens of the single wild Banunculus asiaticus, " which is, perhaps, 

 the commonest wild flower of Palestine, where the plains are frequently 

 carpeted with it. This is so much the case on the plain of Sharon that 

 it has by many travellers been supposed to be the 1 rose of Sharon ' of 

 Scripture. Wherever this ranunculus grows it is preceded in bloom by 

 the single anemone, which flowers some two or three weeks earlier. As 

 the single form of the ranunculus is seldom seen in England, travellers 

 usually confuse the two plants and speak of both as anemones. The 

 anemones are generally of the sani3 colour as the ranunculus, but in 

 certain localities produce flowers of the most lovely shades of mauve, 

 purple, cerise, and white." The ranunculus shows little variation, but 

 forms with orange or bronzy-yellow flowers are occasionally met with. 

 Mr. Bowles, F.L.S., said he had flowered the plant in his garden last 

 year. 



Spur of Dendrobiuni. — Dr. Masters showed drawings of a flower of 

 Dendrobiuni chrysotoxum. received from Mr. Bowles, in which the spur 

 had not developed fully. The structure seen in this flower clearly showed 

 that the spur is not an outgrowth of the sepal, as is usually supposed, but 

 is partially an axial structure. 



Meconopsis integrifolia. — This newly introduced plant, shown by 

 Messrs. Veitch, was, on the motion of Dr. Masters, seconded by Prof. 

 Percival, awarded a Botanical Certificate. 



Diseased Montbretia. — Mr. Bowles showed corms of llontbretia which 

 were decaying at the base. Mr. Massee, V.M.H., undertook to examine 

 them. 



Apple-buds Injured. — These, sent by Mr. Dunlop, Armagh, appeared 

 to be eaten away at the sides, and were taken by Mr. Saunders for 

 examination. 



Fruit-tree Twigs Injured. — Shcots of apple and pear having poorly 

 developed and injured buds were taken by Mr. Saunders for examination. 



Deterioration of Potatoes. — In continuation of the discussion on this 

 subject. Mr. A. W. Sutton said : " The special question under considera- 

 tion is how far, if at all, varieties of potatoes deteriorate in quality or 

 productiveness during the year3 which follow their first introduction. 

 At the meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 



