SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, AUGUST 28. 



Ixxxv 



Scientific Committee, August 28, 1906. 



Dr. Maxwell Masters, F.R.S., in the Chair, and six members 



present. 



Melon Leaves. — Mr. Massee, V.M.H., reported that the leaves submitted 

 to him were sun-burnt, and that there was no fungus present. 



Diseased Deodar. — Mr. Massee reported that the trees were attacked 

 by a species of Rosellinia. Leaflet No. 64 of the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries gives an illustrated account of the fungus and the method 

 of combating it. 



Japanese Iris. — Some specimens in a diseased condition sent from 

 Romsey were referred to Mr. Massee. See p. Ixxxvi. 



Aerial Roots on Vines. — The following communication was read from 

 the Rev. Professor Henslow : — 



" Going over a florist's grounds and houses lately at Kenilworth, the 

 florist called my attention to a peculiar coincidence. In a long row of 

 vines, only one had aerial roots, and the grapes on that plant only were 

 much in advance in size (all were green) as compared with all the rest in 

 the house. The root has a thin-walled epidermis, the cells, of a thick 

 cortex and pith, being three-walled, very compact and full of water (no 

 starch being present), with a feebly developed zone of phloeum and 

 xylem. On allowing a root to lose some of its water by evaporation, 

 I placed it in water for twelve hours, the cut end being in air. It gained 

 30 per cent, of its weight in recovering its former condition. I shall be 

 glad to hear if other vine-growers have noticed a similar coincidence, and, 

 if so, whether they could trace any cause and effect." 



Potatoes. — Mr. Arthur Sutton, Y.M.H., exhibited fruits, of Solanum 

 Commersonii with well-marked, heart-shaped, somewhat flattened berries ; 

 berries of S. polyadenium, S. verrucosum, and of a reputed wild form of 

 S. tuberosum were also shown. Two berries were exhibited from 

 M. Labergerie's variety which were of a globose form, quite like those of 

 an ordinary potato. No fruits had up to the present been observed on 

 plants of ' Blue Giant,' and up till 1904 M. Labergerie reported no 

 fruits had been seen on his potato. In the " Journal of the Societe 

 Nationale d' Agriculture de France " M. Labergerie reports this year that 

 the fruits on his potato are not round, but pointed or heart-shaped, like 

 those of the wild type, and when they approach the round berries of our 

 potatoes they still have a characteristic sillon or indentation. Mr. Sutton 

 also showed various drawings to scale, by Mr. Worthington Smith, of 

 S. Commersonii and its assumed derivative. The form of the pollen- 

 grains and of the hairs on the petals was particularly interesting. Dr. 

 Masters showed tracings and drawings of most of the species and varieties 

 inspected near Reading by certain members of the Committee recently, 

 when the members present failed to perceive any material difference 

 between M. Labergerie's variety and ' Blue Giant,' whilst both were 

 widely different from S. Commersonii. 



Aristolochia elegans &c. — Mr. Worsley showed flowers of this species 

 from the vicinity of Rhodes's tomb in Rhodesia, to which locality it must 

 have been introduced from Brazil. The West African A. Goldieaim was 



