Xlvi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and known by various names, such as oenolin, anthocyan, 

 erythrophyll, and colein. It occurs in Black Grapes and Black 

 Currants, in the leaves of the Copper Beech, in the stems and 

 leaves of Coleus Verschaffelti, in the florets of the crimson 

 Dahlia, &c. It is soluble in alcohol, but insoluble in ether, and 

 nearly so in pure water ; and may thus be distinguished from 

 carotin, which dissolves in ether ; and from amarantin, which is 

 soluble in water, but not in alcohol. It becomes purple, then 

 blue, and finally green, or even yellow, by the action of alkalies. 

 Its spectrum is quite characteristic. A full account of this 

 pigment was published in the Journal of the Chemical Society 

 for March 1877. 



Figs diseased. — Mr. Barron sent some varieties of yellow 

 Figs from Chiswick with dark green spots. Each spot proved to 

 have a scale insect (Mytilaspis ficus) in it. The leaves were also 

 affected, but these were neither damaged nor discoloured as was 

 the fruit. 



Verbascum fasciated. — Mr. Paul exhibited a fine specimen 

 of this plant in this abnormal condition. Mr. Henslow observed 

 that he had several very long fasciated stems of Asparagus this 

 year, exceeding 6 feet in length and from 2 to 3 inches in 

 breadth. He also added that he had raised a fasciated Tropasolum 

 by seed for six years in succession. A propos of hereditary mal- 

 formations, Dr. Masters wrote to say that although Dr. Hugo de 

 Vnes had succeeded in reproducing by seed the spirally twisted 

 variety of the Teazle, yet plants raised by himself from seeds 

 sent to him by Dr. Vries had grown quite normally. 



Proliferous Mignonette. — A specimen of this monstrosity was 

 sent by Mr. W. Treseder, Cardiff. It proved to be the same as 

 one issued by Mr. W. Balchin, of Hassock's Gate, in 1881, and 

 called Beseda odorata var. prolifera alba. It was described and 

 figured by the Bev. G. Henslow in the Journal of the Linnean 

 Society, vol. xix., p. 214, pi. 32. The peculiarity resides in the 

 fact that every branch arises out of the centre of an abortive 

 flower, and occupies the place of the pistil. Occasionally two 

 branches arise out of the same flower. Each of the branches, 

 especially the lower, may have lateral ones. These also in the 

 same way rise out of the centres of similarly proliferous flowers. 

 The plant, of course, cannot seed, but can be propagated readily 

 by cuttings. 



