SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, NOVEMBER 7. lxxxix 



which is almost as large as herself. There the egg remains unhatched 

 until the new leaves are formed. No trouble should be spared in 

 destroying this pest. If it is attacking the roots, the best remedy is 

 bi-sulphide of carbon injected into the soil among the roots in various 

 places ; ^ oz. is said to be enough for one vine. All the infested leaves 

 should be burnt as soon as they are noticed, but probably the most satis- 

 factory thing to do would be to take up the vine and the earth near it and 

 burn them." 



Pelargonium Petals disfigured. — Dr. Masters, F.R.S., reported that 

 the streaked appearance of the pelargonium petals shown at the last 

 meeting was probably caused by "drip." 



Curious Growth on Apple. — Dr. Masters also reported on a curious 

 growth on a spur of an apple sent by Rev. M. C. H. Bird, which had 

 assumed the form of a small apple, but consisted simply of a swollen 

 " spur " about an inch in length. The shoot which had swollen bore no 

 trace of a flower or seed. 



The Web-like Covering on Potato. — Mr. Chittenden said that the 

 curious web -like covering on the potato from Rainham was due to the 

 growth of the fungus Bhizoctonia violacea. This fungus is well known 

 on the Continent and in America as the cause of a disease of lucerne and 

 clover, and attacks numerous other plants, among them potatoes, carrots, 

 and asparagus. Cereals are not known to be attacked by it. In this 

 case the fungus had attacked potatoes, following a crop of lucerne, and 

 was confined to a strip down the field where the soil was damper than the 

 rest, and where a much larger amount of decaying vegetable matter was 

 present in the soil than in the remainder of the field. As Mr. Giissow 

 remarked, there were numerous small sclerotia present under the webbing 

 which would carry the disease over to the next year. The potatoes so 

 attacked rapidly decayed. 



Cucurbita ficifolia. — Mr. Odell, supplementing the remarks made at 

 the last meeting by Mr. Worsley on the fruit of this plant, stated that it 

 was edible only when young, afterwards it was of no use whatever as a 

 vegetable, for as it became older the rind got very hard, and the placenta 

 was much developed and pulpy. 



Streptocarpus lagosensis. — Mr. Odell showed a specimen of this 

 species recently raised by Mr. O'Brien for the first time. It is a native of 

 West Africa, and has a tall stem, and the habit of an Impatiens. It appears 

 to be a near relative of S. Kirkii. It bears numerous flowers of a dark 

 purplish colour on slender pedicels. On germination two cotyledons are 

 produced, which become separated by an internode, the lower cotyledon 

 remaining small, while the upper develops to a large size ; the internode 

 grows upwards, and becomes fused with the developing epicotyl. On the 

 proposition of Dr. Masters, a Botanical Certificate was awarded to this 

 interesting plant. 



Lenticels in Potato ' Evergood.' — Mr. Massee, V.M.H., showed some 

 fcubers of the potato ' Evergood ' which had been grown in sterilised 

 soil, to draw attention to the lenticels, which in this variety are 

 very large and conspicuous. This characteristic renders the entrance of 

 the fungi present in the soil very easy. Once in, the plant, in response 

 to the irritation set up, forms a corky growth around the attacked spot, 



