xliv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Scientific Committee, March 24, 1914. 



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



members present. 



Malformed Fuchsia. — Mr. W. C. Worsdell, F.L.S,, reported on 

 a malformed flower of Fuchsia which had three partly foliaceous 

 sepals, two of which had their stalked bases decurrent down the side 

 of the ovary, one petal in form of a pitcher, with imperfect pollen 

 sacs on one margin, and another petal one-sidedly developed and 

 fused by one edge to the next, with a complete anther at the apex. 

 Two of the stamens were excessively rudimentary, and two others 

 were fused by the whole length of the filaments to the upper side of 

 the half-formed anther-bearing petal. 



Small Narcissus Fly. — Mr. F. J. Chittenden, F.L.S. , said that, 

 apropos of the suggestion that soaking Narcissus bulbs in water for 

 a couple of days would destroy the larvae of Humerus strigatus, he 

 had kept some submerged in water for 72 hours and after removal 

 from the water they soon became as active as before immersion. 

 [The larvae which had been immersed subsequently pupated, and 

 flies emerged in May.] 



Hippeastrum Hybrid. — Mr. A. Worsley exhibited the flower of a 

 hybrid Hippeastrum which had H. calyptratum as one of its parents. 

 Like that plant, it had ligular outgrowths near the bases of the perianth 

 pieces, but smaller, and fringed with hair. 



Aphides on Picea. — Mr. Chittenden showed specimens of the 

 Aphis [Aphis ahietina Walker] which has done so much damage to 

 Spruces in some parts of England during the past few years. When 

 the specimens were collected from Picea pungens glauca on March 16 

 the stem-mothers had already produced viviparous young, and had 

 apparently been hatched about three weeks or a month. He had 

 found a nicotine wash, thoroughly applied, the most effective agent 

 in destroying the pest. Attacked trees soon show the needles brownish 

 about the parts attacked by the green-fly, and this is quickly followed 

 by leaf fall. Various species of Picea are attacked by the aphis. 



Scientific Committee, April 7, 1914. 



Mr. E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.L.S., F.E.S., in the Chair, with ten members 

 present, and Mr. F. H. Chapman, visitor. 



Abnormal Narcissi. — Mr. W. C. Worsdell, F.L.S., reported upon 

 the abnormal flowers of Narcissus tridymus ' de Graaff ' as follows : 

 The three sepals were normal. The three petals were partially trans- 

 formed into stamens. In this process each petal exhibited two main 

 parts — an outer portion, consisting of the upper part of the versatile 



