XXX11 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



sort of Maple, the Feng tree, or Liquidambar formosana, Salisb. 

 When the insect is full grown it is thrown into boiling vinegar, 

 on which the ' head ' of the gut or ' silk ' appears. This is 

 sharply torn out with both hands drawn apart, and is as long as 

 the space between them — say five feet. It is so strong that one 

 single thread of it is sufficient to make a line with which to catch 

 the smaller kinds of fish." 



Hellebore with Curled Leaves. — Mr. Dod sent leaves of 

 H. niger var. maximus with the segments of the leaves inrolled, 

 so as to form closed tubes. He writes as follows : " Can you 

 suggest any reason for the curling up of the leaves ? It takes 

 place every year, and in some plants it seems to be spreading. 

 They do not recover from it ; the whole growth, including the 

 flowering, is deteriorated. The plants most affected are in a 

 border under glass, but not heated, but it occurs on those out of 

 doors as well. I have tried more water, less water, top-dressing, 

 syringing, insecticides, anti-mildew, smoking, &c, but ineffec- 

 tually. I can never see any insects on the leaves." The only 

 suggestions the Committee could offer were, either the possible 

 attempt to protect the upper surfaces from the chill due to radia- 

 tion, as is the prevailing habit with leaves generally when 

 unfolding from the buds ; or, since the undeveloped leaves of 

 some other ranunculaceous plants, as Pseonia Moutan, have the 

 edges of the segments partially inverted, it may arise from an 

 arrested condition of growth, the margin becoming more and 

 more inrolled as they grow. 



Monstrous Fuchsia. — Mr. Morris exhibited a spray from 

 Kew, one flower being hypertrophied, apparently from synanthy 

 or a fusion with another, while the other was somewhat atrophied 

 in having only three sepals, as is often the case with the first 

 flowers that expand in the Fuchsia. 



Tea Plant diseased. — Mr. McLachlan showed a specimen 

 badly attacked by some mycelium received from Assam. It was 

 forwarded to Kew for examination. 



Ficus elastica Fruiting. — Mr. Wythes sent a fine spray of 

 this plant with several fruits upon it. Unlike ordinary Figs, this 

 species bears very diminutive fruit. It is not often known to 

 pioduce them in this country. 



Cephalotaxus. — Dr. M. T. Masters exhibited a bough, show- 

 ing the leaves partly spreading around the stem in all directions 



