lxxx PROCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOC1E1Y. 



They belong to a family (the Plialangidce) which are classed between 

 the spiders proper and the scorpions. They are perfectly harmless to 

 plants and human beings, and feed on aphides and other small insects. 

 The small spiders which spin webs are also very useful in killing various 

 small winged insects." 



Fungus on Roots of Trees. — Mrs. Ashton, of Robertsbridge, Sussex, on 

 digging up two peach trees which suffered from silver-leaf, found then- 

 roots were covered with fungus. A fungus also appeared on the floor of 

 a tool-house ivhich backed against the orchard-house where the peach 

 trees grew. Dr. Cooke wrote : — " Probably the fungus under the tool-house 

 and that on the tree-roots is the same. It is evident there is a large 

 amount of fungus in the soil, proceeding probably from dead roots or 

 decaying wood. No trees can thrive with this in the soil. If possible a 

 deep trench should be dug between the tool-house floor and the orchard - 

 house to cut the connection, and lime should be used freely. The soil 

 should be well dug up about the fruit trees, and the source of the root 

 fungus found. Anyhow, the soil must be cleared of the white fungus 

 mycelium, or all the trees will ultimately be killed. The soil must be well 

 drained, as the fungus thrives best in stagnant water. In France it has 

 been found effective to expose and powder liberally with flowers of sulphur 

 the roots of trees which are attacked. Thorough and severe steps taken at 

 once may save much future trouble and expense." 



Pears Cracked and Scabbed. — Dr. Bonavia sent pears from a young 

 tree of 1 Conference,' which were badly cracked owing to the attacks of the 

 fungus Fusicladium pirinum (see Jouen. R.H.S. xxviii. (1903), p. 14). 



Lilium giganteum Rotting. — A shoot of Lilium giganteum, which had 

 rotted off completely near the point when about 18 inches high, was 

 received from Mansfield. It was thought that in all probability this was 

 due to the presence of excessive moisture. 



Interesting Orchids. — Mr. F. W. Moore, Y.M.H., sent from Glasnevin 

 two species of Megaclinium having a curious flattened rachis on which 

 the flowers were borne in two rows, one along the middle of each of the 

 flat faces. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Y.M.H., exhibited specimens of Nephela- 

 pliyllum pulchrum, a native of Java, which has been long in cultivation 

 but is rarely seen, and of Theodorea gomezoides, a native of Brazil. 



Longevity of Seeds. — As an illustration of this point, the Rev. W. 

 Wilks stated that for the past twenty-six years a garden rubbish-heap 

 had stood in a small wood near his house, and during that time only 

 stinging nettles had grown upon it. The stinging nettles had this 

 year been uprooted and the heap levelled, and now wherever the soil had 

 been placed large numbers of opium poppies, Papaver soniniferum, had 

 sprung up, together with one plant of borage. The only explanation 

 possible was that the poppy seeds had remained dormant for the past 

 twenty-six years. Mr. Druery, V.M.H., remarked that a similar thing 

 had occurred when some soil had been taken from under a house which 

 had been built quite a hundred years. AYherever the soil was spread, 

 there the poppies sprang up. Other members related similar occur- 

 rences, in each case Papaver soniniferum being the plant that appeared. 

 Mr. Holmes, F.L.S., mentioned an instance where Hyoscyamus niger 

 grew under similar circumstances. 



