January 15, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
53 
aureo-maculatum, which is somewhat like a very large and greatly improved 
O. gloriosum, which opens yellow and fades to a pale cream colour with a 
few brown dots. Odontoglossum Alexandra var. Trianse, with large white 
flowers 3f by 3£ inches, with petals 1J inch across, and faintly dotted with 
brown. Cattleya chocoensis var. amoena, a beautiful form with white sepals 
and petals, the lip yellow in the throat with a crimson blotch at the point. 
A plant of Odontoglossum Dormannianum, one of the 0. gloriosum type, 
with yellow and brown-spotted sepals and petals. Sophronitis grandiflora 
major, with large and brilliantly coloured flowers, was very fine. A cultural 
commendation was awarded for a spike of flowers 4 or 5 feet in length, of 
the remarkable Vanda (Renanthera) Lowii. Mr. J. Child, The Gardens, 
Garbrand Hall, Ewell, sent blooms of a white Chrysanthemum, named Late 
Queen, one of the Anemone type. Mr. C. Noble, Bagshot, was awarded a 
vote of thanks for buds of Queen of the Bedder Rose gathered from the 
open ground after 12° of frost. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, sent plants of the original Cineraria 
cruenta, together with specimens of C. cruenta Improved, a much finer 
variety, with larger and richer coloured flowers, very attractive. Chrys¬ 
anthemums Mrs. C. Carey, white Japanese, and Ceres (Jackson), Japanese, 
with flat florets, white and mauve, were also shown with a good collection of 
Primula blooms. Messrs. Page it Son, Teddington, sent three good 
Cyclamens—Excelsior, white ; Acme, pale rose ; and Album plenum, double 
white. Mr. Clark, Twickenham, also sent two Cyclamens, one of which 
were certificated. Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, sent a basket of 
Carnations—IsabellaNabonnand, salmon and scarlet; A.Alegatiere,scarlet; 
Mdlle. Carle, white ; Irma, pink; and C. H. Hooper, yellow, red-edged. 
First-class certificates were awarded for the following plants :— 
Odontoglossum Schrmderianum (Baron Schroder).—A lovely Orchid, with 
flowers of moderate size, the sepals and petals of a white ground, with 
heavy bars of dark brown, and a yellow blotch in the lip. 
BarJceria elegans (F. A. Philbrick, Esq., Q.C.).—A pretty species, with 
narrow sepals and petals, with a large lip white at the base with crimson 
dots, and rich crimson tip. This, although long known, is now extremely 
rare, and attracted much notice from the orchidists present. 
Centropogon Lucyanus (Cannell).—An old and useful plant, with tubular 
blooms, bright rosy carmine, very freely produced in the axils of the leaves. 
The plant is one of the best of those suitable for decorative purposes in 
winter. 
Amaryllis Comte de Germing (B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway).—A 
beautiful hybrid of the Mrs. Garfield type, but with red-streaked flowers, 
each division of the perianth having a central white bar. The plant is 
strong in habit, with five flowers in a head. The leaves have a faint white 
midrib. 
Cyclamen Albert Victor (Clark).—An exceedingly dark reddish crimson- 
coloured variety, one of the darkest and richest ever produced. The leaves 
are neatly marbled, and the plant is strong in habit. 
Scientific Committee.— -Sir J. D. Hooker in the chair. 
Sclerotioids in Potatoes. —Communications were read from Mr. A. Stephen 
Wilson, Professor Trail, and Mr. G. W. Smith on these bodies. Professor 
Trail completely confirms Mr. Wilson’s conclusions that the clear oval body 
coated with calcium oxalate is protoplasmic, in that it absorbs magenta. 
Mr. Smith has renewed his experiments with results still more confirmatory 
of Mr. Wilson’s views. The protoplasm left after treatment with nitric acid 
exhibits a very feeble cell-wall, such as possibly exists in zoospores, and it is 
also readily stained and so made apparent. I believe these bodies arise from 
the moist spots in diseased tubers caused by Peronospora infestans, in Mr. 
Plowright’s “ spotted tubers.” Mr. Smith adds that an independent observer, 
a gentleman well acquainted with fungi, has repeated the experiments made 
by Mr. Wilson and himself, and obtained precisely the same results. The 
strength of the acid is of no importance. The fact is, nitric acid dissolves 
the oxalate of lime, but for some hours—five to forty-eight, according to the 
strength of the acid—the encrusted body remains intact. 
The following is Professor Trail’s communication :— 
“ A few days ago Mr. A. Stephen Wilson expressed a wish that I should in 
his company examine the bodies in Potato plants attacked by disease, to 
which he has giveD the name of ‘sclerotioids,’and in regard to the nature of 
which a controversy has been carried on for some time. His chief desire was 
to obtain an unbiassed verdict as to the effect on these bodies of treating them 
with nitric acid, as he felt convinced that the acid did not wholly dissolve 
these bodies, while Mr. Murray and Dr. Flight have asserted that in their 
experiments there was no residue left by the acid. 
“ Mr. Wilson brought a plentiful store of sclerotioids in pieces of leaves in 
spirits of wine. Of these specimens some were from the Potato crop of 
1881, others from the crop of 1884. With some of this material we together 
experimented on 5th January, 1885 ; and I have repeated and extended the 
experiments several times since. 
The conclusions to which I have been led in respect to the nature of these 
bodies are as follows :—The bodies, probably well known so far as concerns 
their appearance to all interested in their nature, are small ovals, though con¬ 
siderably larger than the cells among which they lie embedded. They are 
usually numerous in the tissues in which they are found, and when these 
tissues are examined by transmitted light they are very evident as dark 
opaque bodies. When examined by reflected light they are seen to be snow- 
white in colour, and their surface is slightly rough. 
“ On teasing a portion of tissue that contains them, it is not at all difficult 
to detach them more or less completely from the tissue so as to isolate them for 
more accurate obser vation ; and this is absolutely necessary in the applica¬ 
tion of tests to these bodies. 
“ Such re-agents as glycerine, spirits of wine, and acetic acid produced no 
appreciable effect on them. 
“ Strong sulphuric acid acts on them but slowly and imperfectly. It ren¬ 
ders them more easily broken up, though that is not difficult to do by pressure, 
or with the needles, to them under any circumstances. In the specimens 
crushed after being subj°cted to sulphuric acid there was the appearance of 
the mass being surrounded with a multitude of very minute needle-shaped 
crystals or raphides distinct from the central substance which they sur¬ 
rounded. 
“ Nitric acid laid on a piece of tissue still enclosing the sclerotioids quickly 
caused their disappearance, so that one might readily have supposed that 
they had been totally dissolved. But on isolating one of them, and watch¬ 
ing the process carefully from its commencement till its close, which I have 
done several times, I found in all cases that the body became more or less 
rapidly nearly transparent as the mineral deposit was dissolved, but that 
there remained a finely granular mass with all the aspect of protoplasm. 
This mass was nearly transparent, being faintly yellowish, but retained 
nearly the size and form of the sclerotioid. On removing the excess of acid 
and applying magenta to some preparations, and oosin to others, I found that 
the residual mass took up the dye and became coloured. I have no doubt 
that the sclerotioids are masses of protoplasm coated with cslcium oxalate, 
probably in the form of minute raphides.— James W. H. Trail.” 
Messrs. Murray and Smith not having been able to report as proposed at 
the last meeting, it was moved that they should re-examine the sclerotioids 
and report at the next meeting. Prof. M. Foster suggested the use of other 
colouring re-agents for testing the protoplasmic basis, such as osmic and 
chromic acids and picrocarmine. 
Lemons with Seeds Germinating in situ within the Fruit. —Mr. Boulger 
mentioned instances of this, similar to what occurs in Pernettya mucronata 
and Rhizophora Mangle. 
Old Floral Plates. —Dr. M. T. Masters exhibited twelve coloured plates 
of plants cultivated in Furber’s nursery, occupying the site of the Royal 
Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington, dated 1730. They were drawn 
by Peter Casteels, and were remarkable for the paucity of species, and showed 
little advance upon those known to Gerard and Parkinson in 1630. 
Red-spotted Potatoes. —A communication was read from Mr. Hawkes, 
Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth. He corroborates the experience of others 
(reported at the last meeting), that this disease is more prevalent on light 
sandy soils, and that he has been familiar with it for some years. Magnum 
Bonum was slightly affected in 1881, but the produce from seed Potatoes 
saved from that variety was not injured at first; but as the crop began to 
ripen the spot began to get worse, and many Potatoes were affected that 
year. Early Rose, however, was not affected. This year he recommenced 
with fresh seed of Schoolmaster, Sutton’s Ringleader, Myatt’s Ashleaf, and 
Magnum Bonum, but he could not say which was the worst. 
Ghost Moth and Pcconies. —Mr. Maclachlan observed that an instance 
had come before him of the caterpillar of this moth attacking the stems 
of the Poeony. 
Double Daffodils.— Dr. M. Foster moved that the Committee appointed 
last May should be re-appointed to examine into the question of the origin 
of double Daffodils, and that the Committee should consist of Dr. Masters, 
Mr. Baker, Mr. Barr, Rev. C. W. Dodd, Mr. Brockbank, Rev. G. Engelheart, 
Hon. and Rev. Mr. Boscawen, Mr. Burbidge, and Dr. Lowe as Secretary. 
Dr. M. Foster was requested to communicate with Dr. Lowe upon the 
method of procedure to be adopted. 
Crocus speciosus, Rapid Growth of. —Dr. Lowe described this plant as 
growing in his garden, some coming up through a plant of Dianthus 
csesius, and remarked that at 11 a.m. one day in September last no signs of 
the Crocus were visible, but at 8.30 a.m. on the following morning four had 
appeared through the patch of Dianthus and five or six surrounding it. 
The former were from 4 to 6 inches in height, and the average height of 
these in the open was 6 inches. It was suggested that this rapid extension 
was due more to expansion of cells by turgescence rather than any actual 
growth in so short a time. 
Cedrus Deodara. —Mr. Ford, gardener to W. E. Hubbards, Esq., 
Leonardslee, sent sections of a tree showing discolorations within and 
much fungoid mycelial growth below the bark. It was generally thought 
by the Committee that the death of the trees—two or three being lost 
during the last twelve years, from 15 to 35 feet high—was due to failure of 
proper nourishment., the soil being of a sandy nature. Mr. Murray was 
requested to examine and report upon the fungoid growth. 
Vanda Lowii. —Mr. H. James, of the Castle Nursery, Lower Norwood, 
forwarded a very fine spike of this Orchid, exhibiting basal flowers of a rich 
yellow and spotted, all the rest being of the normal red colour, excepting one 
blossom of an intermediate character. It has been figured and described 
in Warner’s “ Orchidacese,” and Dr. Reichenbach found the yellow 
flowers to be identical sexually with all the rest, and not monoecious as in 
Cycnoches. 
Orchids, Vegetative Multiplication of. —A communication was received 
from Mr. Webster on this subject, in which the author described the well- 
known buds produced on the branches of the rootstock ; and remarked 
upon them as explaining the sudden disappearance and reappearance of 
this and other Orchids. He also described Epipactis palustris as being pro¬ 
vided with vegetative buds, much in the same way; but in E. ovalis the 
underground growth is quite different from that of E. latifolia, of which 
species it is considered a variety. The new shoots appear close to the base 
of the old one instead of at the end of a sucker, as in E. latifolia, and this 
peculiarity is constant under cultivation as well as in the wild state. 
NATIONAL AURICULA AND CARNATION AND PICOTEE 
SOCIETIES (SOUTHERN SECTIONS). 
A meeting of the Committees of these Societies was held at South 
Kensington on Tuesday last, Shirley Hibberd, Esq., in the chair. There 
were present: Dr. Masters, Dr. Hogg, Messrs. Veitch, Laing, Turner, B. S. 
Williams, H. Cannell, J. James, E. Hill, Mr. Douglas, Secretary, and Mr. 
Rolt, Treasurer. The exhibition schedules of both Societies for 1885 were 
prepared and adopted. The following regulations for the exhibitions were 
also adopted :— 
1, An exhibitor can win one prize only in one class, except in the classes 
for seedlings, in which there is no limit; and in single specimens he may 
not exhibit more than two in each class, but may win two prizes with both 
exhibits. 
2 , At the time when the judges commence their work, all persons present 
save the officers and their assistants shall retire from the exhibition. The 
decision of the judges shall be final. 
3, All plants and flowers shown in the schedule classes must have been 
the bond fide property of the exhibitor or his employer at least two months 
previous to the date of the exhibition. 
4, Plants and flowers submitted for certificates must be staged separately 
