316 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 16, 1885. 
Odontoglossum Andersonianum pictum (James O’Brien).—A charming 
variety, the flowers beautifully spotted with chocolate on a lighter ground. 
Scientific Committee. —Mr. F. Pascoe in the chair. 
Hawthorn cankered. —Mr. Plowright forwarded a specimen of young 
branches attacked by Raestelia lacerata through artificial impregnation by 
Podisoma j uni peri. He observes : “ Two years ago I drew attention to the 
fact that a form of canker attacked the Hawthorn trees, and a case of 
serious injury thereby had come under my notice. A specimen of the can¬ 
kered Hawthorn was sent to the Scientific Committee, and I pointed out the 
peculiar honeycomb-like appearance presented by the bark. Mr. McLachlan 
examined this for insect remains or indications, but found none. Subse¬ 
quently it occurred to me that the injury in question might be due to 
Rsestelia lacerata occurring on the bark of the young branches. Subsequent 
observations confirmed this view. However, in order to be sure, I infected 
some young Hawthorns last year with Podisoma juniperi, taking care to 
apply the fungus especially to the young branches as well as to the leaves 
(of course it is only this year’s branch which will become affected by the 
parasite). In due course the Riestelia appeared, not only on the leaves but 
also on the young shoots. I left the plants in my garden till now in order 
to show that the mycelium of the Rsestelia having done its work dies in the 
autumn.” 
Chimonanthus grandiflorus. —Mr. Noble sent a seedling, together with 
fruits and seeds of this plant, grown at Bagshot. The large dark green 
colyledons somewhat resemble those of the Beech and Coffee plant, being 
about 1J inch broad, with auricles at the {base, and a strongly pronounced 
venation. 
Narcissus bulbs attacked by a Pleospora. —Mr. G. Murray reported on the 
bulbs sent to the last meeting, and said that he was inclined to agree with 
Mr. Plowright that the fungus was a species of that genus, for such attack 
Hyacinth bulbs and Onion stems, and perhaps the bulbs of the latter as well. 
It was suggested that Professor Foster should sendj some fresh bulbs for 
cultivation. 
Cypripedium, semi-double. —Dr. Masters reported on the specimen sent to 
the last meeting, and found that it had five additional petals in the place of 
four of the normally suppressed five stamens, and an additional petal in 
place of the rostellum or modified stigma, one of them being slipper-shaped 
like the normal labellum. 
Lentils Attacked by Bruchus sp. —Mr. McLachlan exhibited Lentils bored 
by this beetle, which has the habit of laying its eggs in the unripened seeds. 
He did not know from what country they had been imported, but they had 
not been attacked here. The caterpillars live in the colyledons. As a 
rule it does not affect the germinating power. Mr. Pascoe observed that it 
sometimes happens that the beetle cannot escape through the testa of the 
seed and so perishes within it. Colonel Beddome remarked that Crotolarias 
in India are attacked in the same way. 
Insect or Chinese Wax. —Mr. Maclachlan read a communication (which 
will be published in the Gardeners' Ghronic’e') on this product, and ex¬ 
hibited specimens of twigs of Ligustrum lucidum (?) coated with wax from 
the male insects ; the female forming gall-like structures. He observed that 
the subject was important in two ways ; that the wax is excreted (or 
secreted) by the male insect only, and that the female has a parasitic beetle 
of the genus Brachy tar us attached, to it, as is the case in some European 
species of Coccidae. 
Cryptomeria japonica, excrescences on. —Dr. Masters exhibited cone-like 
woody structures developed on this tree. They appeared to be arrested 
branches which had thickened without elongating, similar to “ embryo 
buds ” so common in Beeches, Cedar3, &c. 
Narcissus, heterogamous. —He also showed a blossom of a Narcissus 
having the style protruding beyond the uppermost stamens, and therefore 
exserted from the orifice, a unique instance of heterostylism in this genus. 
Epiphyllnm, hybrid. —A plant was exhibited bearing numerous scarlet 
blossoms. It was specially interesting as being a true hybrid, or rather 
“ bigener,” between Epiphyllum and Cereus. It had the stems and habit 
of the former, but the flowers were those of a Cereus. 
Crocuses and Sparrows. —Dr. Lowe commented on the destruction by 
these birds of the flowers of Crocuses, and advanced as his belief that it 
was done for the sake of insects (thrips ?) within the flowers, that great 
destruction occurred in some years and not in others, in consequence, he 
assumed, of the insects being more abundant in some seasons than others. 
Mr. Maclachlan questioned the presence of any insects at this season of the 
year, and said he had watched them devouring the pedical (tubular base) 
of the perianth. Col. Clarke had his Primroses attacked in the same way, 
probably for the sake of the juicy ovary within. 
Teazles. —Colonel Clarke exhibited specimens of the Fuller’s Teazle from 
fields cultivated near Axminster, which were frequently accompanied by a 
wild species somewhat resembling the British Dipsacus pilosus. It appeared 
to be a foreign species, introduced probably with imported seed. 
Garden Stock. —He also showed a curiously dwarfed form of this plant, 
said to be frequently cultivated by our ancestors, having slightly wavy leaves 
compacted together, giving the plant a dense conical form. It was said to 
come true by seed. 
Cyclamen. —This was remarkable by a fringed growth appearing on 
surface of each petal, as in the Peacock Tulip. It was remarkable, however, 
that a similar structure occurred simultaneously on the upper surface of the 
leaves. This app°ared to be similar to the outgrowths on the surfaces of 
Cabbage leaves when they assume the form of pitchers, and would seem to 
be due to hypp.rtrophy of growth. 
Plants Exhibited. —Mr. Loder showed cut specimens of Ranunculus 
cortusifolius, Narcissus rupicola, very sweet scented and near to N. junci- 
folius; Spirantha convallarioides, with small white star-like flowers; 
Yillarsia parnassifolia, and Calceolaria Burbidgei, somewhat like C. Pavoni. 
Polyanthus Degenerated in Colour. —The Rev. G. Henslow showed speci¬ 
mens which had passed from a crimson to a brick-red colour on light soil in 
Ealing. He had observed the same on the gravelly soil of Dropmore. With 
this change there was correlated a tendency to shorten the style (of the 
long-styled form, to which all the plants happened to belong), till in many 
cases the flowers were homo-morphic. He had described a similar pheno¬ 
menon in Primula sinensis {Linn. Trans., 1877), and observed that it was 
only one out of many instances he had noticed in which what may be called 
a “ floricultural degeneracy ” was coupled with an increased fertility by 
self-fertilisation. Mr. Darwin had found that a dark crimson Pink, normally 
strongly proterandrous, when self-fertilised for years, became flesh-coloured 
and highly fertile. It is the same with pale-coloured Pelargoniums— e.g., 
Christine, &c. It was the invariable testimony of floriculturists that 
weedy-looking individuals of garden flowers were by far the most prolific. 
One gardener purposely kept inferior Cyclamens to raise seed from, which he 
subsequently crossed till brought to the required standard of floral perfection. 
Mr. Henslow offered as an explanation the very simple one of compensation 
between the vegetative and reproductive energies, which, though modifica¬ 
tions of one and the same vital energy, are in a sense antagonistic. Large 
corollas and rich colouring, accompanied by finer foliage, together represent 
so much energy directed to the foliar organs, which includes the calyx and 
corolla. But when through poverty of nutrition these fail to be developed 
to the extent florists aim at, the flowers begin to degenerate in size and 
colour ; but, on the other hand, the reproductive energies gain the ascend¬ 
ency, sell-fertilisation follows, and a greatly increased fertility is the result. 
But what is particularly observable is that no injurious effects whatever of 
a constitutional kind are discoverable. 
JOINTING HOT-WATER PIPES. 
"We have seen the letters in your issue of the second inst. respecting 
hot-water pipe joints, and thought th) enclosed drawing might be of 
interest to your correspondents. We are now using them largely, and find 
Fig. 57. 
them to answer well. They are readily fixed, can be taken to pieces if 
required, and have the great advantage that a broken pipe can be repaired 
by a gardener in a quarter of an hour if he keeps a few of the sliding 
collars in stock. We discontinued the use of iron filings for joints some 
years ago, for, as Mr. Lynch says, they often burst, even when used by 
the most careful workmen. In one conservatory we knew them to stand 
well for more than fifteen years, and then over thirty joints burst in one 
summer, while the pipes were not worked. The reason so many valves 
fail is that gardeners often allow them to stand for months without work¬ 
ing them, aud thus allow sediment to set on the face or seat. If they 
would only work them once or twice a week good valves would keep in 
order for years. 
In the new joint referred to (see fig. 57) the pipes have a socket C at 
one end only, the other end being a plain spigot, and they can thus 
readily be cut to any desired length. The socket has six flat surfaces, 
which allow of several rows of pipes being placed vertically without 
danger of their rolling down. As the connections all have spigot ends 
the number of patterns is largely reduced, and the 6toek required to be 
held small compared with the old socket pipes. The labour in fixing is 
much less, especially in trunks and other positions where it is difficult to 
make a caulked joint. The pipes can be taken to pieces more readily 
than caulked joints, and repairs are rendered easier. — Foster and 
Pearson. 
SUE VAT ION SECTION 
