496 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 18,1891. 
and beds were cleared preparatory to a new crop. The branch was then 
discovered, its length being about 12 feet. It had, therefore, been about 
nine months without heat; during part of the time a severe frost had 
lasted. The leaves and bunch of Grapes were of the colour of a wcll- 
blanched Lettuce. It is impossible to say how long the branch was 
forming. I did not see any seeds in the fruit.” 
A discussion arose as to the degree of perfection to which flowers can 
attain when grown in total darkness. Mr. McLachlan, for example, 
found a Hyacinth, which by accident could not emerge from the ground, 
to be rose-coloured. Mr. Smee on a former occasion exhibited a dark 
purple Hyacinth which had developed underground beneath a slate. 
Many other instances are known. The Committee expressed a wish to 
receive descriptions of any cases of plants developing in darkness 
•which correspondents may be able to furnish. 
Excrescences on Willoics. —Mr. Blandford had examined sections of 
the specimens brought to the last meeting. The woody tissue was very 
dense, and indicated no clear evidence of insect origin. He sirggested 
that there might have been an old gall, and that the tissues continued to 
hypertrophy after the escape ot the insect, possibly a cryptocampus or 
sawfly. The wood was referred to Professor H. Marshall Ward for an 
examination of the tissues. 
Staves Perforated. —Mr. Blandford observed that the insect ofBcially 
reported by the India Office as taken from the barrels, and supposed to be 
the wood-borer, as mentioned at the last meeting, proved not to be the 
case. The staves are really perforated by Xyleborus perforans, an insect 
well known since 1855, and detected as perforating Sugar Canes in 
St. Vincent in 1867. He proposed making further investigations. Mr. 
McLachlan remarked that the original home of this insect was Central 
and South America, that it was exported to Madeira, and thence to 
India. Mr. Morris observed that the distribution also agreed with 
exportation of the Sugar Cane. 
Injuries.to the Cocoa Tree, 'Theohroma cacao. —Mr. Morris remarked 
upon the presence of Styrastiua depressa infesting Cocoa trees in 
Grenada, that it is not a native of the West Indies, but introduced 
from S. America. At the Jamaica Exhibition Cocoa from Surinam, 
together with insects injurious to it, were shown. Hence it was 
undoubtedly introduced into the West Indies along wdth the Cocoa. 
Kcemjferia, Tuberous Roots. —Prof. Church had examined the tuberous 
roots, exhibited at a previous meeting by Mr. Morris, which are used as 
food in Trinidad and Dominica. He found that they contained very 
little starch, but a relatively large amount of gummy matter, which 
possessed a strong left-handed rotation, being apparently, therefore, of 
the Irevulose group. He remarked that it rapidly absorbed iodine, 
which became quite colourless, so that it w’as diflScult to detect the 
starch unless a considerable quantity of iodine was present. These 
roots, therefore, would seem to have a composition closely resembling 
the tubers of Stachys tuberifera. 
Pai)aver j^ilosumCf) —Eev. C. W. Dod exhibited a Poppy with 
orange-coloured flowers, about which some doubt was raised as to its 
identity. It was referred to Kew. 
Apple Twigs Injured. —Mr. Lee of Clevedon sent a number of twigs 
“ringed” in places. Generally the ringing had taken place at the 
buds. It was suggested to have been done by bullfinches rather than 
sparrows, as Mr. Lee intimated. It was observed by Mr. Blandford that 
hymenopterous insects not unfrequently produce a like result when 
collecting materials for their nests, as— e.g., hornets on Ash trees. It 
was suggested that the trees should be searched for the presence of 
insects at the time when the injury was done. 
Hippeastrum Diseased. —Mr. Morris exhibited bulbs with leaves 
covered with red spots and blotches. They were received from Mr. 
J. Douglas of Ilford. The bulbs were reddish coloured, and the leaves 
died off prematurely. It was thought to be due to Saccharomyces 
glutinis (described and figured in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1886, 
p. 396). It was referred to Prof. H. M. Ward for further examination 
and report. 
LILIUM GIGAXTEUM AT HADDON HILL. 
A NUMBER of the members of the Bournemouth and District 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, at the invitation of the 
Eev. F. Hopkins, Vicar of Holdenhurst, paid a visit to his residence, 
Haddon Hill, near Christchurch, to see the Lilium giganteum as grown 
in pots by his gardener, Mr. W. Osborne, who is a very successful 
cultivator of this noble Lily. Mr. Osborne has the plants in all stages 
of growth, from the sucker to the flowering bulb. The specimen"in 
flower (of which I enclose a photograph) is a grand example of cultiva¬ 
tion. There were three bulbs in a 3-inch pot with three spikes nearly 
9 feet high, exclusive of the pot, and carrying twenty-seven blooms. 
Several other specimens were in the conservatory, and showing strong 
spikes, which gave promise of being very fine. Mr. Osborne informed 
ns that it took from four to six j'ears to grow them from the sucker to 
the flowering stage, but having them in various stages he is able to have 
flowering bulbs every year. 
The conservatory also contained some well-grown and freely flowered 
plants of Pelargoniums, Rosss, Azaleas, &c., also some fine Palms. The 
pleasure grounds contained some good specimen Coniferas from 40 to 
flO feet high, which were planted by Mr. Osborne twenty years ago. 
Rhododendrons and other American plants are at home in this favou^d 
spot, and made the shrubberies look gay with their flowers. A feature 
in the woodland walks is an edging of seedling Rhododendrons which 
were self-sown. They are cut to 12 to 15 inches high, and form a 
splenlid edging to the paths. In the kitchen garden the crops looked 
very promising considering the late unfavourable spring, and there was a 
splendid set of fruit on the Apples and Pears, the frost having done 
no harm, Mr. Osborne informed us. (Happy man, while so many of his 
brethren are lamenting the damage done to the fruit crops at Whitsun¬ 
tide.) In the Peach house and vinery there were good crops of fruit, 
and the stove contained a collection of useful plants. The members 
w’cre highly pleased with their visit, and especially in having the 
opportunity of seeing Lilium giganteum in flow'er.—S. B. J. 
[The photograph is an excellent one. and the plant is very similar to 
that represented in one received some time ago.] 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY. 
June 17th. 
Lovely early summer weather favoured the June Show of the Royal 
Botanic Society this year, a bright sun making the surroundings cheer¬ 
ful and enjoyable. The Exhibition was hardly so densely crowded with 
good things as on some previous occasions, but it was eminently attrac¬ 
tive, and there are few places where plants and flowers are arranged to 
such advantage as on the banks and mounds adjoining the conservatory 
in the Society’s pleasant gardens at Regent’s Park. There was an 
excellent attendance of visitors. Nothing further than an indication of 
the general character of the Show can be given in a necessarily brief 
and hastily prepared report, and reference to the new-plant honours 
must be deferred. 
Pelargoniums are invariably well shown at the Botanic ; this year 
was no exception. Mr. Phillips, Langley Broom, Slough, won with six 
Fancies and also with six Shows, both lots being finely flowered plants. 
Mr. Turner of Slough was first with both Shows and Fancies in the trade 
classes, exhibiting some grand plants, and Mr. Wiggins, manager to Mr. 
Baldwin, Hillingdon Heath, was second. Messrs. Phillips and Eason 
were successful with Zonals. 
Stove and greenhouse plants were good, but not the feature they 
used to be a few years ago. Mr. J. T. Mould, Pewsey, v'on with both 
twelve and six plants in the nurserymen’s classes, his best plants being 
Statice profusa, Dracophyllum gracile. Erica aristella, E. ventricosa 
Bothwelliana, and E. ventricosa superba, but all were healthy and well 
bloomed. Mr. H. James, Castle Nursery, West Norwood, was second in 
each case. Mr. Offer, gardener to J. Warren, Esq., Handcross Park, 
Crawley, was an easy first in the amateurs’ class, Mr. H. Eason follow¬ 
ing, and Mr. Offer also showed some grand fine-foliage plants, Mr. 
E. Butler coming second. Mr. James won with these in the other 
section, Mr. Mould coming third ; second prize withheld. Mr. Eason 
■was first with Fuchsias. Coleuses were moderate, Mr. Eason being first; 
second withheld, and Mr. Butler third. Mr. Offer, as might have been 
expected, scored with variegated leaved plants, but Mr. Eason was close 
behind and showed most creditably. 
Mr. James won with Nepenthes and Sarracenias, a capital lot of 
plants, and another South London firm, Messrs. Peed & Sons, Eoupell 
Park Nurseries, Norwood Road, had a beautifully clear and healthy lot 
of plants. Mr. Offer’s Ferns, though much crowded in a corner, were 
of sufficient individual merit to secure him the first prize. Messrs. 
J. Douglas and E. Butler were second and third. Messrs. Paul & Son of 
Cheshunt were unopposed with herbaceous flowers. Mr. Jas. Douglas 
won with a collection of Orchids, a bright, free and tastefully blended 
display of healthy plants, and Mr. James occupied a corresponding 
position in the trade section. 
There was not a very extensive display of Roses, and at so early a 
period of the season it coirld hardly be looked for. The principal prize¬ 
winners were Messrs. Robins, Osman, Mount (with a neat box of The 
Bride and a good stand of scented varieties), and Eumsey, Waltham 
Cross, who had a capital dozen of Niphetos. The other cut flowers were 
bright and interesting, comprising Orchids, Pelargoniums, and stove and 
greenhouse plants. Messrs. Douglas and James won with the first and 
last; Mr. Turner, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Eason, and Mr. Douglas being 
successful with Pelargoniums. 
Fruit is invariably a great feature of this Exhibition, but on the 
present occasion there appeared to be a falling off both as respects 
quantity and quality, still there was much that was worthy of comment. 
Mr. J. Edmonds, The Gardens, Bestwood, Nottingham, who has shown 
successfully before, was awarded the first prize. His Grapes were but 
moderate, the bunches being small and rubbed. Best of All and 
Blenheim Orange Melons were fairly good, as were the Peaches 
(Hale’s Early), Strawberries (Sir Harry and La Grosse Sucr^e), 
Fig (Brown Turkey), and Pine. Mr. W. Robins, gardener to 
Colonel Lee, Hartwell House, Aylesbury, was second. His Grapes 
were weak, Foster's Seedling being the best, and his Pine very 
poor. The Melons were fair, the Peaches and Nectarines good. 
Mr. Osman, gardener to L. J. Baker, Esq., Ottershaw Park, Chert- 
sey, a very successful exhibitor of fruit, -w'on with a basket of 
black Grapes, the variety being Black Hamburgh in very good condi¬ 
tion. Mr. Ocock, gardener to Mrs. M'Intosh, Havering Park, Romford, 
was second with good clusters of Black Hamburgh, but imperfectly 
coloured and somewhat rubbed ; Mr. Douglas being third with the same 
variety. Mr. Grindrod, Whitfield Gardens, Hereford, had the best 
basket of a white variety, being represented by Muscat of Alexandria in 
fair condition. Mr. Smith, gardener to G. Sewell, Esq., Warren Hill, 
Loughton, was second with Foster’s Seedling ; and Mr. Robins third 
with the same variety. Mr. Osman won with three bunches of 
Black Hamburgh, medium sized, well coloured, and carrying 
