30 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ January 10, 1884. 
coloured. C. Eyrei was also shown in good condition. Messrs. Stuart and 
Mein, Kelso, sent spikes of Spiraea confusa, a neat and pretty species, with 
umbels of diminutive white flowers. A cultural commendation was 
awarded to Mr. Mann, gardener to Sir J. W. E. Welby Gregory, Bart., M.P., 
Denton Manor, Grantham, for specimen heads of Poinsettia pulcherrima, 
with three and four branches, the bracts highly coloured. Mr. H. Bennett, 
Shepperton, sent a box of forty-eight blooms of Chrysanthemum Princess 
Teck, white, tinged at the base with purple, very neat and regular in form. 
A vote of thanks was accorded. 
Two pans of Sophronites grandiflora were shown by Mr. Salter, gardener 
to J. Southgate, Esq., Streatham ; the plants were bearing fourteen fine 
brightly coloured flowers, being exceedingly fine, the petals broad and dark 
scarlet in colour. Mr. Herbst, Kew Nursery, Richmond, was awarded a cul¬ 
tural commendation for some extremely well-grown potfuls of Lily of the 
Yalley ; each containing about sixteen fine spikes and large bells, pure white, 
and with strong green foliage. Votes of thanks were accorded to Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, for plants of Saccolabium giganteum illustre, a 
species with white flowers spotted with purple, the lip being also purple, and 
Odontoglossum Hrubyanum, a species resembling O. cirrhosum in form of 
flower, but the sepals and petals are pure white ; the lip being yellow at the 
base and streaked with chocolate. Mr. Todman, gardener to J. Cannell, Esq., 
Bushey Down, Tooting Common, sent flowers of seedling hybrid China 
Azaleas named Snowflake and Bridal Wreath, both pure white and very free. 
Mr. Merritt, gardener to Lord Dacre, was awarded a vote of thanks for heads 
of Poinsettia pulcberrima plenissima, full, but with narrow bracts. Mr. J. 
Sheppard, Wolverstone, Ipswich, showed spikes of Salvia Sheppardi, a cross 
between S. splendens Bruanti and S. Heeri, but not of remarkable merit. 
Mr. Heims, gardener to F. A. Philbrick, Esq., Q.C., Oldfields, Bickley, Kent, 
showed a plant of Odontoglossum crispum guttatum var., which has broad 
deep brown blotches on sepals, petals, and lip. Mr. W. Brockbank, 
Brockhurst, n^ar Manchester, was awarded a cultural commendation for a 
specimen of Helleborus niger angustifolius, nearly 3 feet in diameter, and 
bearing over sixty blooms of good size and pure white, but they had suffered 
considerably in transit. 
First-class certificates were awarded for the following plants :— 
Cattleya Percivaliana (R. P. Percival, Esq., Birkdale, Southport, and 
Mr. Salter, gardener to J. Southgate, Esq., Streatham).—A new Cattleya 
which has recently attracted much attention. Flowers of moderate size, 
petals inches long, 2 inches broad, delicate purplish mauve. The sepals 
are the same colour, but narrow, half an inch broad, 2J) inches long. The 
lip is about 2 inches long by lg broad, rich deep crimson edged with mauve. 
Cypripediurn Leeanum (Veitch).—An interesting and pretty hybrid 
between C. insigne Maulei and C. Spicerianum. The flower is intermediate 
in size ; the dorsal sepal very similar to that of C. Spicerianum, but with a 
few purple dots down the centre and at the base, where there is also a tinge 
of green. The sepals and petals are greenish, with a tinge of reddish 
brown after the style of C. insigne Maulei, the staminode being very much 
like that of the latter, but not so large. 
Dieffenbachia Jenmani (Yeitch).—A species from British Guiana, with 
elliptical leaves, 3 to 4 inches broad and about 10 inches long, dark shining 
green with parallel blotches of white. 
Lcelia anceps Percivaliana (Percival).—A charming variety, very free; 
the plant shown having five spikes with three flowers each. The sepals 
and petals are nearly white with a faint tinge of purple, the lip being white 
edged with bright purple. 
Cyclamen Crimson Beauty (H. Little, Esq.).—A remarkably fine variety, 
with neatly formed flowers of a uniform deep rich crimson and very freely 
produced. 
Scientific Committee. —Sir J. D. Hooker in the chair. 
Sclerotia in Potatoes. —A communication was read from Mr. A. Stephen 
Wilson, expressing his views of the necessity of further examination of 
these bodies, which he proposes doing next season. He questioned the 
probability of Mr. Murray’s experiments with nitric acid being decisive 
in showing that they are solely oxalate of lime. Mr. Murray remarked 
that the acid used was so excessively diluted that it could not have 
destroyed either protoplasm or starch if either had been present. 
Impregnation of Potatoes through the Surface by Spores. —A letter from 
Mr. Plowright was read restating the fact that spores readily penetrate 
the epidermis of fresh tubers underground, but only through the eyes after 
drying. Mr. Murray observed that the question was not so much whether 
the earth could be penetrated, but whether it is usual for Potatoes to become 
injured in that way, and that the evidence for the disease reaching them by 
the haulm was certainly the common method. 
Sifting Fungus Spores through Sand and Water. —Mr. W. G. Smith 
referred to some experiments he had made in reference to this subject. He 
said spores of the Potato fungus were not readily procurable in sufficiently 
large numbers wherewith to make satisfactory experiments, but spores 
belonging to the smut of corn (Ustilago carbo) he had in large quantities, and 
with these the experiments were made. Ustilago spores, being nearly black 
in colour, possessed a great advantage over the spores and zoospores of the 
Potato fungus, which were colourless. 
Cylinders of glass were taken, each 8 inches long and half an inch in 
diameter; into one of these G inches of fine sand was placed, the bottom of 
the tube being first tied over with calico to prevent the sand escaping. A 
teaspoonful of water charged with Ustilago spores was then poured on to the 
top of the sand ; in ten minutes the water all ran through, and on examination 
with the microscope as many spores were present in the water which had 
percolated through the 6 inches of sand as in the water which had not run 
through. 
A second and similar cylinder was taken and charged with dry earth in 
fine powder. Water was then poured on the earth to make it quite compact, 
and more powdered earth and water placed in the tube till a compact 6-inch 
mass was presented. A spoonful of water charged with Ustilago spores 
was poured to the top. In two hours no water had run through, so the 
tube was left in a perpendicular position over a saucer all night. In the 
morning a part only of the water had run through, and this water was 
thickly charged with Ustilago spores. Mr. Smith said he was in the habit 
of filtering collodion through purified cotton wool, so that every particle 
of dust and all minute atoms of grit might be retained in the wool, and 
he had never found the purified cotton wool fail. He therefore placed a 
plug of wool an inch deep in a third cylinder, and poured water charged 
with Ustilago spores on to the wool. In a short time most of the water 
had passed through, and there were as many spores, or nearly as many, in 
the filtered as in the unfiltered water. 
In these experiments, as was to be expected, all the spores did not run 
through with the water in which they were originally held. Some of the 
spores together with a little water remained, but on the application of 
additional water (as must occur in the case of rain) all or nearly all the 
spores doubtlessly ran through. In the water which had passed through 
the earth a considerable number of spores belonging to two other fungi 
made their appearance. These must have been present in the earth. Mr. 
Smith said he had not the slightest wish to depreciate the value of Mr. 
Jensen’s interesting full experiments, or to under-estimate the value of 
high moulding in Potatoes. He had merely challenged the experiments 
with sand, earth, and fungus spores. It had been proved, he said, that 
spores of a fungus (Dactylium oogenum) could find their way through the 
shells of fowls’ eggs and grow on the membrane within the shell. In the 
face of a circumstance like this—and several others of a similar nature 
might be added, said Mr. Smith—the reports of spore-filtering through sand 
should not be received with too much credulity. 
Professor Balfour remarked that spores— e.g., of Penicillium, contain fat, 
which renders them difficult to be wetted; while Professor Church added 
that carded cotton wool contains a half per cent, of fat, and it is only when 
treated with ether or boiling spirits of wine to remove this that it renders it 
easily permeable by water. If the wool has been thus treated water run3 
through with extraordinary rapidity. 
Phylloxera in Victoria. —Mr. M ; Lachlan alluded to a report made on this 
subject by a Committee of the Royal Society, when no phylloxera was 
discovered in the roots sent for examination; but, unfortunately, on 
examining some fresh material it is found to be undoubtedly present in some 
quantity. Not only was it in the living Vines, but in the roots left in the 
ground, showing the necessity of destroying by burning or drowning (as i3 
done in England) the soil with the contained insects. 
Coltsfoot in Flomer. —Mr. M’Lachlan recorded the first blossom of this 
plant as seen by him on January 7th near Lewes. It blossomed on same 
day in 1882, and on January 12th, 1883. 
Freesia sp. —Prof. Balfour exhibited a spray of small greenish yellow 
flowers. It was referred to Kew for identification. 
Deoxidisation of Chlorophyll. —Prof. Church referred to a rediscovery by 
a French chemist of the possibility of restoring, not only the green colour 
to brown or oxidised chlorophyll, but also its characteristic absorption bands. 
He stated that about five years ago he discovered this process himself by 
mixing powdered zinc with boiling water and oxidised (brown) chlorophyll. 
It became after two or three days of a brilliant green. It had be„n extracted 
from Beetroot leaves. 
Orchids from Out of Doors. —Mr. A. Smee exhibited a plant of Odonto¬ 
glossum Alexandras which had stood 8° of frost, but that species could not 
stand 11°. O. Rossi major, however, withstood 11° on December 13th; the 
plants were only protected by boughs. 
Lecture. —The Rev. G. Henslow first called attention to a Panax 
Victorias. It had variegated foliage and with leaflets varying between 
pinnate and bipinnate. Comparing with Aralia Sieboldi, he pointed out 
how compound leaves, both of digitate and pinnate types, are formed from 
simple leaves by dividing them up into separate leaflets. The word “ panax ” 
was from the supposed virtues of P. Schmseng of China, the root of which 
was a panacea for evils, and would make men not only young but immortal. 
It had failed to do so in Europe. P. quinquefolia from North America was 
sometimes imported into China as a substitute. He next alluded to Chimon- 
anthus fragrans, the Japanese Allspice, introduced in 1766 from China. This 
and the genus Calycanthus, called the Carolina Allspice, were the sole 
representatives of the order. The bark of the latter was sometimes used 
for Cinnamon. Mr. Henslow then remarked upon the fact that many plants, 
including Maples, Conifers, Ac., had representative species in Japan and 
North America, and alluded to the speculations of geologists to account for 
the present distribution of such plants, and their descent from common 
forms, which probably existed in Miocene times, some of which appear to be 
those found at Oeningen and elsewhere in a fossilised state. 
Crotons and Poinsettias were next taken to illustrate the order Euphor- 
biaceie, characterised in England by weeds like Spurges, but in tropical 
countries by trees and shrubs. He drew attention to the introduction of 
the Poinsettia in 1828, and figured in the “ Bot. Mag.,” vol. lxiii., 3493. 
It was named after Mr. Poinsette, who discovered it in Mexico, who sent it 
to Charlestown, and from thence it came to Europe. Of Crotons, he men¬ 
tioned the useful species—viz., Croton Tiglium, from the Indian Archipelago, 
whose seeds yielded the very acrid Croton oil; C. eleuteria, from the 
Bahamas, which supplies the “ cascarilla bark,” containing bitter tonic and 
astringent qualities; C. balsamiferum of West Indies, from which a spirit is 
made called Eau de Mantes ; and C. lacciferum of Ceylon, which furnishes a 
resin for varnishes. He alluded to the coloured and white foliage of these 
variegated plants, and explained how it was due to a want in the composition 
of the green chlorophyll, which is usually a compound substance of at least 
yellow chlorophyll and blue chlorophyll. In the case of the yellow leaves 
of the Croton the latter substance appeared to be wanting. In the white 
leaves of the Panax it was probably due to the extreme scarcity of chlorophyll 
grains. 
The last subject for remark was a beautiful hybrid raised by Mr. Seden 
of Messrs. Veitch’s establishment. It is called C. Leeanum, and received 
a first-class certificate. Its parents were C. Spicerianum, introduced in 
1878, and C. insigne Maulei. It showed several intermediate characters ; 
thus while C. Spicerianum had a corrugated purple and white “ shield n 
(staminodium), that of C. insigne was smooth-edged and yellow-green. The 
hybrid shield had the colour of the latter, but the crimped edges of the 
former. Again, while the large upper petal is much spotted in C. insigne, 
not at all in C. Spicerianum, the hybrid is spotted, but to a much less 
extent than its parent. The slipper, however, was of a deeper red than is 
the case with either of the two species. 
