lxviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



getting his change of seed from a higher, colder, and later district, and 

 that the worst results are from the drier and warmer soils. 



" It may be interesting to note that in the first two or three years 

 of a seedling's existence there often are very many more fibrous rootlets 

 produced than in subsequent years, and this naturally may account for 

 greater vigour and robustness. In the fourth, fifth, or sixth year these 

 fibrous rootlets often decrease in number ; but a potato which retains such 

 a habit of growth may also conceivably be less liable to degeneration. 



"It is sometimes considered that potatoes improve in quality after they 

 have been put 1 into commerce,' and there are instances which seem to 

 prove this to be the case. It may consequently be true that vigour of 

 growth and 'quality,' or flavour, are rarely found united in one variety — 

 in other words, that improvement in ' quality ' has been accompanied by 

 loss of productiveness. 



" Certainly it is the case that the one thing market dealers are now 

 demanding more than anything else is ' quality ' and flavour, and no one 

 can well dispute the fact that few, if any, of the potatoes in commerce 

 to-day either equal or surpass in flavour the old 'Dunbar Eegent.' If 

 this be S0j nothing but deterioration or degeneration can possibly account 

 for the total disappearance of this potato from ' commerce ' at the present 

 day. 



" In my opinion the best safeguard against premature degeneration will 

 be found in the exercise by raisers of greater caution in the introduction 

 of new varieties ; by growing a larger number of seedlings side by side 

 under precisely similar conditions; and by subjecting them to a far more 

 critical comparison with the best varieties already in commerce, so that 

 only those which show very marked superiority and constitutional vigour 

 may be chosen for introducing to the public." 



Professor Percival thought that there were well-authenticated cases 

 of sports (or bud variations) having arisen which were perpetuated after 

 selection. 



Coloured Leaf of Bichardia. — Mr. Charrington, of Bury's Court, 

 Reigate, sent a specimen of Bichardia Elliotiana having a large yellow 

 blotch on the leaf which left the flower-stalk just below the spathe — a 

 kind of second spathe. This specimen has shown the same peculiarity 

 for the past three years. 



Scientific Committee, May 9, 1905. 



Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, with seventeen members present, 

 and Dr. Johannsen of Copenhagen, Monsieur Correvon of Geneva, 

 and Mr. Roupell, visitors. 



Welcome to the Visitors. — Dr. Masters introduced the visitors, and 

 welcomed them in the name of the Committee. 



Fruit-buds Injured. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., reported on the specimens 

 received at the last meeting from Mr. Robins: — "I cannot find enough 

 insects or fungi on them to account for their condition. There are a few 

 specimens of the mussel- scale (Mytilaspis pomoruvi) and of the apple- 

 sucker (Psylla mali), both of which are decidedly injurious insects ; but 



