Scientific committee, januaky 3i & February 14. xxvii 



(n) Parent seed dark chocolate-brown with patches of dark fawn : 

 Plant 1 produced 305 seeds fleshy-white with more or less chocolate- 

 brown. 



(o) Parent seed chocolate witn small spots of rosy-white: Plant 1 

 produced 36 seeds chocolate. Plant 2 produced 50 seeds chocolate. 



Scientific Committee, January 31, 1911. 



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

 members present. 



Cutting the Common Reed. — A question was raised concerning 

 whether the best practice in cutting the Common Eeed Phragmites com- 

 munis was to cut annually or biennially. It was pointed out that in the 

 Norfolk Broads, where this crop is a very valuable one, the practice 

 where the best Eeeds were grown was to cut annually, for if they were 

 left longer they became very brittle, and otherwise deteriorated, making 

 the cut sample very irregular. 



Cedar cones. — Mr. J. Eraser, F.L.S., showed cones of Cedrus 

 Libani and C. Deodara. These cones had been collected in August 

 when they were both green. The cone of C. Libani was comparatively 

 small, it became brown a month after gathering, and was hollow at the 

 apex. That of C. Deodara was heavier and full of resin; it became 

 brown only after two months ; the apex of the cone was pointed, and 

 each scale, unlike that of C. Libani, was ribbed near the apex. 



Double Richardia africana. — Some large and well-marked examples 

 of this well-known phenomenon were sent from Trowbridge. 



Fasciation in Marsdenia. — Mr. Bowles showed a fasciated stem 

 of Marsdenia erecta from the Rev. Canon Ellacombe, at Bitton. It is 

 rare for an example of fasciation in a plant belonging to the Asclepia- 

 daceae to be shown before the Committee. Mr. Worsdell, F.L.S., 

 remarked that he had observed the phenomenon in a Stapelia in South 

 Africa. 



White Crocus I mperati.— Mr. Bowles drew attention to a white 

 form of Crocus Imperati which had occurred among some imported 

 corms, and was shown by Messrs. Barr. The flower showed none of 

 the barring on the outside of the perianth segments usual in this 

 species. 



Scientific Committee, February 14, 1911. 



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

 sixteen members present. 



Variation in Wheat. — Dr. Voelcker showed grains of wheat from 

 plants grown in pots to which had been added successively larger 

 quantities of magnesium oxide. The examples varied much in appear- 

 ance, from a plump, starchy-looking grain, where the proportion 

 between the calcium and magnesium present in the soil was low, to a 



