February 21, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
149 
names for the same plant. It is certainly a variety of D. plan- 
tagineum, and the name excelsum is very applicable. Several 
flowers are expanding, and it will be in bloom from the present 
time till late in the summer, and it will force splendidly; indeed 
one may enjoy it through nearly all the dull winter months if 
properly handled. The large bright yellow flowers are so effective 
at all times, and it grows so freely almost anywhere, that it con¬ 
stitutes one of the best hardy perennials in cultivation.—T. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
February 12th. 
Scientific Committee. —Sir J. D. Hooker in the chair. 
Cuscuta Trifolii. —Mr. W. G-. Smith exhibited young Clover plants with 
seedling specimens of this parasite just commencing to twine themselves 
about it; some had the seed skin still attached to the radicle. He observed 
that, while some seeds germinated in a few days, others required months. 
Mushroom Spawn. —Mr. Alfred Bennett read a communication bearing 
upon certain difficulties of introducing the French system of growing Mush¬ 
rooms in underground quarries. It was referred to Mr. Berkeley for report. 
Electric Light on Plants. —Mr. Boulger called attention to a paragraph in 
The Garden referring to experiments by Mr. B. Cross on Potatoes germi¬ 
nating under the electric light alone, being kept in the dark during the day. 
Under these circumstances it was asserted that no chlorophyl was produced 
at all. 
Hyacinths Growing in the Parle. —Mr. Smee showed a bulb which had ger¬ 
minated in the dark after being left in it for two years, and a malformed 
blossom of Zygopetalum Mackayi in which the lip had been arrested. 
Stanhopea, Hardy —Hon. and Bev. Mr. Boscawen informed the meeting 
’that he had placed a plant in an open cold shed. It withstood 13° of frost in 
November and again in January, and now is in a most healthy condition. 
Diseased Pear Stem. —Sir J. D. Hooker exhibited a stem of a Pear received 
from Bel voir Castle with an injured surface. The bark is smooth and wood 
•dead. The opinion of Mr. Berkeley and Sir J. D. Hooker was that the 
appearance was due to excessive heat, being sunburnt. 
Hew Species of Potatoes. —Sir J. D. Hooker showed drawings of the two 
new species of Potato prepared from the Botanical Magazine —viz., Solanum 
Maglia from Chili, and S. Jamesi from Arizona. Bemarks were made on 
semi-naturalised condition of Potatoes in various parts of Scotland, as Clova, 
<rlenesk, and G-lenshee. In some places, according to Mr. Loder, the 
Potatoes had been growing for forty years after the departure of the original 
inhabitants, but crops were habitually taken from them. 
Lenzites gibba var. tenuior.— Mr. Berkeley exhibited a fine specimen of 
this fungus growing from a Beech stump. It is usually much thicker, but 
it has grown with a thin structure from its habit. It was received from St. 
Leonard’s Forest. 
On the Spore-retaining Power of Sand. —A communication from Mr. Plow 
right was read on this subject, containing a criticism of Mr. W. J. Smith’s 
■examination of sand ( Gardeners’ Chronicle of Feb. 2, p. 153), in which tha 
gentleman gave a fig. of a grain nearly 2^ inches in length, representing a 
multiplication of 40 diameters. Hence the grain is nearly l-16th of an inch, 
'but described as of extremely fine sand. Mr. Plowright maintains that it 
is the size ot the interstices that is of importance, not the grains. Experi¬ 
ments were made with sand in tubes, and the excellence of that material 
as a filter depends upon the fact that the water causes the larger grains to 
subside first, and the smaller subsequently fill up the interstices. The 
wedging takes place only at the uppermost part. Experiments were detailed 
showing that neither a heavy powder, as red lead, nor a light one, as lamp¬ 
black, were allowed to pass through. Similarly with water charged with 
Ustilago, so much so that it resembled ink, none passed through ; and 
finally, water charged with Potato spores filtered through and upon fresh 
slices of Potatoes ; the latter, how r ever, w r ere not diseased, though certain 
■specimens treated with w’ater so charged became diseased. 
Further Observations of Mr. Jensen upon the Potato Disease.-— A long com¬ 
munication was received from the same gentleman dealing with the follow¬ 
ing matters : (1) Bapidity with which the disease spreads. (2) Early disease, 
a small crop ; late disease, a large crop. (3) Influence of temperature upon 
the disease. (4) Can we do anything to retard the outbreak of the disease ? 
(5) Is the foliage more susceptible to disease when the plants have attained 
a certain stage of development? (6) The spread of the disease in Nature. 
*(7) Hybernation of the disease. The whole of this communication will 
■shortly appear in the Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Circumnutation in Root Hairs. —The Bev. J. Henslow showed drawings 
by Mr. Saunder, of Ealing, of roots of Poa pratensis growing in water, the 
abundant root hairs of which showed remarkable coils and spiral twisting. 
He observed that pollen-tubes grown freely will twist in a similar manner. 
Plants Exhibited.—Galanthus nivalis va->s. —Mr. Loder showed the follow¬ 
ing vars. : lutescens, angustifolius, poculiformis fl.-pl., Imperati, plicatus, 
Elwesi, Bedoutei. He also exhibited Crocus Imperati var. albiflorus. Dr. 
Lowe observed that it had been heard of in Italy, but not known for 105 
years. He, however, discovered one plant amongst a patch of the purple 
form, about thirty miles from Naples, at Tocarna. Mr. Loder also showed 
•Crocus ochroleucus and C. Balansse, as well as a finely grown specimen of 
Musa Ensete in flower, though only one year old. He observed that it 
flowers and seeds in the south of France. 
SPECIAL SOCIETIES. 
It seems to me that I have become involved in a larger correspondence 
than the necessities of the case as it was first put required. A correspon¬ 
dent found fault with the schedule of the National Auricula Society, and I 
sent him a copy through the Editor, thinking he might be able to make 
some suggestions for the impiovement of it. He made no suggestion 
that I could bring before the Committee. Then came the usual bud 
of anonymous correspondents, imputing interested motives to 
members of the National Societies in general an! your humble servant in 
particular. 
To make this matter clear we must go back about twelve o fourteen 
years, to the time when the Metropolitan Floral Society wai founded. 
The Bev. H. H. Dombrain was Secretary. At that time the Auricula was 
almost an unknown plant. Mr. Dombrain, Mr. James, and a Mr. Butcher 
were the only growers near London. I was a subscriber to that Society, 
although I grew no Auriculas or Carnations. The prizes offered wereo: 
course divided between Mr. Dombrain and Mr. James. I did not complain 
of this ; no complaint was made by anybody. Interested motives were 
not thought of. However, I was urged to take up the Auricula. I did 
take it up, and in a year or two I beat Mr. James and Mr. Dombrain ; 
and, although I only grew a three-light frameful of plants, I beat Mr. 
Charles Turner of Slough for the best fifty at the Boyal Aquarium. It 
was now thought that the best thing to do was to break up the Metropolitan 
Floral Society, on the ground that “ florist flowers were at a discount in 
the south.” I could see other growers taking up the culture of the 
Auricula, and was not satisfied that the whole thing should be brought to 
so abrupt a termination. Being at one of the northern shows at Man¬ 
chester a few years later, in company with my esteemed colleague Mr. 
Dodwell, we were urged to resuscitate the exhibitions in the south. We 
did so, and the National Auricula, Carnation, and Picotee Societies are 
the result. 
I must, by leave of the Editor, enlarge on another subject, and that is 
the selling of plants. I did not raise this question ; but my name has 
been so mixed up with it, especially at page 128 by “ Fair Play,” that it 
does seem to me at least that there is some ulterior motive behind this. 
I can fancy the thought may occur to some persons’ minds who are anxious 
for “ fair play.” “ Here is Douglas, a gentleman’s gardener, making a 
rare good thing by selling his master’s plants. Surely this is wrong, let 
us give his employer a hint.” It is very kind of your correspondents, 
and quite right that they should look after other people’s business, 
especially if they have none of their own to attend to. Well, if it pleases 
them it does not hurt me. Quite recently I stated in this Journal that I 
did not sell Auriculas nor Carnations and Picotees, and why did I do so ? 
“ D., Deal," gave a short report of Mr. Penson’s Auriculas, and stated that 
they were supplied principally by Mr. Douglas. I had no hand whatever 
in forming Mr. Penson’s collection, except that I let him have two plants 
which he had some difficulty in obtaining. They were the first and the 
last plants I ever supplied him with. “ D., Deal," did not think it worth 
while to write to me and apologise for hurtiDg my feelings. Considering 
the way some of your correspondents under the cloak of a nom de plume 
write about me, one would think I had no feelings to hurt. 
In 18S2 Mr. Cannell had our surplus Carnations, and this year Mr. 
Turner had them. If the information is of any use to your readers I 
opine it is—may I further trespass on your kindness to say that I cannot 
supply any plants of my new Auriculas, Silvia and Conservative ? they 
will be placed in the hands of Mr. Turner of Slough for distribution on 
the 1st of May next. I must repeat again, in answer to ‘Auricula, 
that I have no control over exhibitors. They must conform to the rules 
of the schedule, which has been drawn up and carefully revised by the 
Committee. I may also say that the shows will be held as usual under 
the auspices of the Boyal Horticultural Society on the 22nd April and 
22nd July respectively. The schedules will be published immediately. 
J. Douglas, Great Gearies, Ilford. 
[We are fully convinced that not one of our correspondents had the 
slightest thought that Mr. Douglas was acting unfairly towards his 
employer; and as to conveying intelligence of that nature in the manner 
and with the object indicated, the supposition falls to the ground in face 
of the fact that Mr. Douglas’s surplus plants have been publicly advertised 
for sale by a florist. When Mr. Douglas announced that he did “not 
sell Auriculas ” he intended, we presume, that he did not do so in a 
retail manner to amateurs. If he had said so at the time, or stated what 
he states now, that he disposed of bis surplus stock to florists, no mis- 
understanding could have arisen. He is perfectly justified in doing this 
with the consent of his employer, and we are quite satisfied that he has 
that consent in all his transactions in growing, exhibiting, and disposing 
of plants.] 
HOW PLANTS OBTAIN THEIR POOD FROM THE 
SOIL. 
On page 49 of the Journal “ Querist” in his “ Advice to Young Gar¬ 
deners ” says, “I do not suppose the average young gardener knows 
what the various manures are composed of, or in what way they are 
beneficial to plant life ; nor yet perhaps do they know how plants obtain 
their food from the soil.” If such be the case it cannot be out of place to 
bring such important questions before the notice of young gardeners who 
are constant readers of the Journal of Horticulture. I will, there ore, 
endeavour (as an under gardener) to answer the questions put by 
“ Querist,” as far as my knowledge will permit me. I purpose, however, 
first to show how plants obtain their food from the sod, and afterwards 
to show how that food can be added to the land by the application of 
First, if a plant is burnt we find part passes off in vapour and sm ike, 
while another portion remains as ash. Thus we have two distinct classes 
of elements and compounds— volatile matter, and non-volatile substances. 
The volatile elements are oxygeu, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon, the 
thers are silica, lime, potasb, soda, magnesia, and iron oxides, combined 
with phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, and sulphuric acid. 
