Ix PROCEEDINGS OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



healthily. Even roots of some things unaccountably die away." It was 

 recommended that lime should be added to the water, except that which 

 was to be used for spraying : to this common ammonia may be added. 



Scientific Committee, January 23, 1906. 

 Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and nine members present. 



Apples with Bing-lihe Split. — Mr. Massee, V.M.H., said that the 

 cracks and markings on the surface of the apples shown by Mr. 

 Spencer Pickering, F.R.S., at the last meeting were caused by the well- 

 known parasite Fusicladium dendriticum. This fungus, however, was 

 not at all concerned with the abnormal constriction of the fruit. 



Clematis Stem cracked. — Mr. Massee also reported that in the clematis 

 stems shown by Mr. G. S. Saunders, F.L.S., there was an excessive 

 development of callus excited by the rupture of the stem. Such rupture 

 is not caused by a fungus, and the origin is not apparent. It was 

 suggested that frost was the cause of the sphtting. 



Holly Leaves blistered. — Some holly leaves with the well-known 

 disfigurement of blisters were received from Milverton, N.B., upon which 

 Mr. G. S. Saunders, F.L.S., reported as follows : — " The coloured blotches 

 on the leaves are caused by the grubs of the holly fly, Phytoynyza aquifolia, 

 a very common insect, which lays its eggs just underneath the skin of 

 the leaf. The young grubs at once begin to feed on the inner substance 

 of the leaf, and cause the blister-like blotches. When the grubs become 

 chrysalides their heads are partly pushed through the skin, so that when 

 the fly emerges it at once does so into the open air. It is almost 

 impossible to recommend any remedy — no insecticides can be made to 

 reach the grubs or chrysalides — and it is a hopeless task to try to catch 

 the flies. Spraying the leaves with a solution of paraflin emulsion at the 

 time w^hen the flies were wishing to lay their eggs would probably deter 

 them from doing so. This operation is performed in May or June, 

 according to the season, and it is very difficult to know when to spray. 

 Picking off and burning the infested leaves is the most practical remedy. 

 The minute pustules and depressions which are present on many of the 

 leaves are not caused by this insect." Members of the Committee con- 

 sidered that the small depressions were due to the puncturing of the leaves 

 by the spines of other leaves in windy weather. 



Beans poisonous. — Mr. Holmes, F.L.S., referring to the cases of 

 poisoning by roots of runner beans, recently brought to the notice of the 

 Committee, mentioned a case where a herd of twenty-six cattle had been 

 poisoned by bean-meal, and said that it could not be too Tsidely known 

 that uncooked beans of the genus Phaseolus contained prussic acid, and 

 should on no account be eaten. 



Plants Exhibited. 



Behregasia velutina. — -Dr. Masters drew attention to a fruiting shoot 

 of this plant shown by Messrs. Veitch. The plant is a native of the 

 Himalayas, and bears numerous small orange-yellow mulberry-like fruits 



