i PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have been exposed on the surface of the ground all the winter. The 

 purple is quite superficial. It is interesting to note that this brilliant 

 change has taken place in the least coloured variety, for these small ones 

 are, as a section shows, of the pale variety grown for cattle, and popularly 

 known as " stock Carrots." Incipient colours are often shown in the 

 exposed roots of other plants — for example, blue discoloration — as woad 

 root- stocks are frequently mottled with blue stains when they are pulled 

 and left exposed to the light and air. 



Potato tuber diseased. — Mr. Massee, V.M.H., showed a Potato tuber 

 having a black patch (dry scab) about 2 inches square, the result of the 

 attack of the fungus Stemphylium (Phellomyces) atrovirens. This 

 disease has been very prevalent in Scotland this season, and considerable 

 damage has been done to the crop. The present example came from 

 Oxford. The spores are known to remain alive in the soil, and capable 

 of infecting Potatos for several years. Diseased tubers should, therefore, 

 not be used for "seed," nor should Potatos be grown on the same land 

 as that on which the diseased crop was grown. 



Apple containing germinating seed. — Mr. F. J. Baker showed an 

 Apple containing germinating seed, and made some remarks upon the 

 result of allowing seed to dry thoroughly before sowing. He considered 

 that seed of many plants which had been allowed to remain as long as 

 possible within the fruit gave better results than seed removed early and 

 kept for some time before sowing. 



Variation in Primula sinensis. — Mr. A. W. Sutton, V.M.H., showed 

 a number of plants of Primula sinensis having leaves of a shape 

 approaching those of Ivy. He said that occasionally such plants were 

 observed, but they had not until last year set any seed. Seeds had, 

 however, been obtained from three plants last year, and this had given 

 a considerable number of plants with leaves of the form of the parents, 

 and with petals of a very similar form, the form of the latter being 

 apparently correlated with that of the former. 



Cinerarias dying. — Mr. James sent a plant of Cineraria, one of about 

 150 which had died out of some 3,000. It was found that the base of 

 the plant had been attacked by the bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus echinopus, 

 in great numbers, and that these had caused the death of the plant. 



Scientific Committee, March 9, 1909. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, and twenty 

 members present. 



Beetle in stem of Vanda teres.— Mr. Saunders, F.L.S., reported that 

 he had examined the stem of Vanda teres, and found that the beetle 

 boring into it was a species of Xyleborus, not a native, nor, so far as 

 could be ascertained, recorded as occurring in Europe up to this time. 

 The plants attacked were sent by Mr. Rogers from a greenhouse at Bury, 

 Lanes. 



Spots on leaves of Lapageria.— Mr. Massee, V.M.H., reported that he 

 had examined the leaves of Lapageria and found that the roundish brown 

 spots upon them had been caused, not by a fungus, but by a drip. 



