lxxxviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



from a tree which had suffered from an attack of the disease developed 

 the silver-leaf. 



Variegated Cockscomb. — Mr. A. Sutton, V.M.H., showed a specimen of 

 cockscomb, part of the inflorescence of which was white, part red, but 

 the region in which the colours occurred was clearly defined. In the 

 basal part of the stem the red colour of the flowers was restricted to one 

 of the four sides, while higher up it was seen only on the opposite side, 

 about one-fourth only of the terminal inflorescence being red, the 

 remainder white. 



Fruits. — Mr. Worsley showed a fruit of Gucurbita ficifolia, which, he 

 said, was edible, and possessed no bitter flavour. He thought, since the 

 plant was hardy and produced fruits up to 7 lb. in weight, that it might 

 prove an acceptable addition to the edible plants grown in this country. 

 He also showed a large fruit of a variety of capsicum (Columbus), which 

 members recognised as the paprika, which is largely grown on the 

 Continent, and which has no hot taste. The capsicum could be used 

 green or pickled. 



Orchid Disease. — Mr. Massee showed a specimen of the fungus, 

 Hemileia americana, attacking leaves of Epidendrum, and known also on 

 Cattleya. He stated that the disease was becoming very prevalent in the 

 country. 



Vine-leaves Injured. — Mr. Lynch sent specimens of vine -leaves, 

 upon which were numerous pustules covered with a hairy growth. These 

 were referred to Mr. Saunders. 



Petals of Pelargonium Streaked. — Mr. R. Cooke, F.R.H.S., sent petals 

 of Pelargonium 1 Soldier's Tunic,' which had a colourless streak running 

 down them. Dr. Masters took them to examine. 



Potato Tubers with Fungus. — Mr. W. Curtis, Rainham, sent tubers 

 of potato which had upon them patches of a reddish network, consisting 

 of the interlacing mycelium of a fungus. The fungoid growth was 

 entirely superficial, and could be easily rubbed off. 



Scientific Committee, November 7, 1905. 

 Mr. G. Massee, V.M.H., in the Chair, and ten members present. 



^Phylloxera on Vine. — Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., reported as follows on the 

 vine-leaves sent by Mr. Lynch from Dublin : " The vine-leaves are 

 attacked by Phylloxera vastatrix. This is one of those aphides whose 

 life-history is rather complicated. An egg is laid by one of the true 

 females under the bark of the vine, from which in due time a wingless 

 insect is hatched, which makes its way to a leaf on which it lays its 

 eggs and forms a gall such as those on the leaf examined. Later on the 

 young hatched from the eggs leave the galls and descend to the larger 

 roots, where they multiply viviparously very rapidly for several genera- 

 tions. They then pass to the smaller ones, where they form small pear- 

 shaped galls, from which individuals emerge which become winged and 

 fly to the leaves, where, having become fully developed, the sexes pair, and 

 the female, having found a suitable place in the bark, deposits her egg> 



