XViii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
been appointed to confer with the Royal Horticultural 
Society, and to further the objects of the Committee so far 
as horticultural investigation is concerned. It is hoped 
that some of those who are engaged in practical horticulture 
may be willing to assist the Committee by communicating 
the results obtained, and allowing their operations to be 
observed and recorded as indicated above. As a practical 
example of the work contemplated, it is supposed that a 
firm is trying to raise an improved form of some annual. 
^Each year a batch of seedlings of known parentage is pro¬ 
duced. For horticultural purposes it is enough that the 
good seedlings should be kept and the rest destroyed, and 
so on until the new variety is “ fixed.” But for scientific 
purposes it is desirable that the appearances of the seedlings 
in each crop should be put on record before any selection is 
made , and the whole history of the variety thus preserved. 
By measurement and photography this could often be done 
by competent observers without putting the grower to any 
extra trouble. The amount of such work which the Com¬ 
mittee could undertake to record in detail must in the first 
instance be small, and only the most suitable cases can be 
undertaken. All information given to the Committee will 
be regarded as confidential, and will not be published with¬ 
out permission.” 
In order to further the above objects, it is hoped that any 
persons engaged in practical horticulture may be willing to assist 
the Committee by communicating the results obtained, and 
allowing their operations to be observed and recorded. The 
Secretary of the Scientific Committee will be glad to receive any 
communications. 
Currant Mite .—Mr. Berry gave an interesting account of the 
history and progress of this destructive pest, especially to Black 
Currants in Kent. It was first observed some ten years ago, 
but has now reached alarming dimensions. Miss Ormerod 
recommended picking off and destroying the buds infested with 
the mite (Phytoptus ribis), the cause of the complaint. This 
was done, but last year a sudden development occurred, when 
picking became useless. The “ Baldwin,” a very heavy cropper, 
was the variety most seriously attacked. The “Red Budded 
Naples” were only slightly affected; but this variety is not a 
