XC PEOCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



numerous ovules in two rows in each carpel are worthy of note ; they are 

 reduced to two only in apples and pears." The members of the Com- 

 mittee thought that much more evidence would have to be brought 

 before it was proved that the sclerenchymatous tissue belonging to the 

 endocarp could be diffused through an axial structure such as the flesh 

 of the pear. 



Galls on Birch. — Mr. C. H. Hooper showed galls on birch caused by 

 the gall mite, Eriophyes rudis. The buds had failed to develop properly, 

 and the trees suffered severely, sometimes dying after a short time, 

 particularly when the attack on the tree is general. The result of 

 a local attack is often the formation of the well-known "witches' broom." 

 Trees locally affected often live for many years. In one case mentioned 

 a large "witches' broom " had been known upon a tree for forty years. 

 The mite and its galls have recently formed the subject of a memoir by 

 Mr. Giissow. See " Naturwissensch. Zeitschrift fiir Land- und Forst- 

 wirtschaft," Heft 10, October 1906, pp. 421-429, 2 plates and 10 illustra- 

 tions in text. 



Fasciation in OpMopogon. — A specimen of Ophiopogon spicatus was 

 shown by Mr. E. M. Holmes fasciated at the apex of the inflorescence. 



Fruiting of Lilium candidum. — Mr. Cuthbertson showed a plant with 

 fully developed but unripe capsules, one of between thirty and forty, 

 which had developed this year among about two hundred plants. The 

 fruiting plants were just producing leaves, while those that had not 

 fruited had produced foliage leaves several weeks ago. There had been 

 no difference noticed among the flowers, but it was suggested that 

 possibly the fruiting plants belonged to Lilium peregiimim, w^hich differs 

 from L. candidum in the narrower perianth segments. 



Bi-coloured Marroiv. — I\Iiss Eddy, of Teignmouth, sent a small 

 marrow, the upper part of which was green, the lower yellow. All the 

 fruits on one branch of the marrow had been of this character, and on 

 being cooked it was found that the green part tasted more like a pump- 

 kin, being hard, and having less flavour than the marrow\ The occur- 

 rence of these bi-coloured fruits is not uncommon. 



Injury to Ferns. — An example of Pteris serrulata, one of some 

 hundreds, was received from Chislehurst having dark-brown lines 

 running along either side of the midrib of the pinnfp. Mr. Saunders 

 undertook to report upon them at the next meeting. See p. xci. 



Wineberries dying. — Plants of wineberry dying wwe received from 

 Ranceby. No fungus or insect to account for the trouble could be found, 

 and the roots were very thick and old. It was thought the plants bad 

 probably remained in one place for too long a period. 



Bcputed Wild Dahlia. — Some sprays of a plant raised from seeds 

 from America sent to Mr. Murray Thompson, secretary of the Royal 

 Caledonian Horticultural Society, and reputed to be those of the wild 

 dahlia, were received from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay, who had 

 had it growing outdoors until October 1, when it was placed in a tub 

 and removed under glass. The habit of the plant was that of a Bidens. 

 It had attained a height of 8 feet to 9 feet, and was of a very free 

 branching habit. The inflorescences, however, lacked ray florets, and 

 were by no means conspicuous. The seeds produced were like those of 



