January 19, 188a ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
43 
of Cleveland, Lyme Eegis, the mischief is caused, not bv animals, but 
by a fungus, the so-called Peridermium columnare. Robert Hartig 
worked out the life history of this fungus in 1880. He found that the 
jEcidium columnare A.P.S. is a hetercccismal fungus, the teleutospores 
of which occur upon Vaccinium Vitis-ldaja, and are known to mycolo¬ 
gists under the name of Calyptospora Goe|)peitiana (J. Kiihn). The 
Calyptospora is not a British species, so th.at it is difficult to account 
for the presence of the mcidiospores, R. Hartig, Forst und Jagdzei- 
tung, 1880. “ Lehrbuch der Baum Kraukheitlu,” p. 50 to 01, t. ii. 
Prof. J. Kiihn has, however, recently repeated Hartig’s cultures with 
this result. He finds that there are two Hilcidia on the Silver Fir, 
the true H<lc. columnare of Abertini and Schweitz, which has for its 
teleuto.spores Calyptospora Gocppertiana and another d^cidium much 
resembling die. columnare, but with a different life history. This 
..Ecidium he proposes to call die. pseudo-columnare, and it; is most 
probable that the fungus which has injured the accompanying shoots of 
Silver Fir is Kiihn’s plant.” 
Potato with Lwarcerated Mr. Maclachlan exhibite 1 a 
Potato perforated and with a large internal cavity. A predaceous 
beetle, Pterostichus madidus, had somehow entered and apparently 
could not escape. The lining of the cavity, which had seemingly been 
excavat d by some animal, was provided with a strong Layer of cork 
cells 
Aluminium in Plantx. —Prof. Church called attention to the fact 
that though large per-centages of this metal are well known to exist in 
Lycopodiacem, it was not hitherto suspected to be general in flowering 
plants. A Japanese chemist having discovered it in Rhus Vernix, &c., 
in the gum of the lacquer resin ; Prof. Church examined Cherry tree 
gum, gums arable, tragacanth, &c., and found traces to be invariably 
present. In the “ Analyst ” for January it is stated that it is also in¬ 
variably present in the gluten of Wheat, in this case as a phosphate of 
alumina. It does not occur in association with the starch. From the 
precautions taken it could not have been due to the millstones. In all 
cases it is probably accidentally absorbed by the roots and plays no part 
in vegetable physiology. 
Orthezia. inxiijnix, “Coccus” on Strobilanthes.—Mr. Morris exhi¬ 
bited specimens of this newly discovered “ bug,” on S. cuspidatus, from 
the economic house at Kew. It has been described and figured in the 
“ Journal of the Queck. Mic. Club,” vol. iii., p. 109. Mr. Michael ob¬ 
served that its habits did not agree with those cocci of which the larvae 
lie dormant beneath the parent, but the young were always very active. 
The genus was, in fact, on the border of the coccidse, and its nearest 
ally was Iceria. A discussion followed as to the nature of the secretion 
of wax. It is generally believed to be renewed, the length of the 
secretion depending upon the age of the insect. Mr. Browne, in the 
paper alluded to, says it is spreading, and is now found on Scutel¬ 
laria, itc., in the adjoining house at Kew. Mr. Lynch added that ap¬ 
parently the same species attacked Acanthaceous plants as well. 
Clorodendron, n. up. —Mr. Morris exhibited shoots of a new species 
received from Sir J. Kirk from Zanzibar. It is remarkable for having 
the basal parts of the leaves much thickened and curved for the purpose 
of support. The upper hdf of the petiole carrying the blade can 
oscillate, .and becomes detacl ed. It doei not appear to be sensitive, 
but resembles the hooked peduncles of Uncaria and stipules of Hipla- 
denia. 
Monxtrous Peam.—Mr. Henslow exhibite 1 three forms of abnormal 
Pear growths, which appeared to explain the true nature of the fruit. 
The first was the “ Bishop’s Thumb Pear,” which consists of a succulent 
rod-like structure, presumably of an axial character alone. In the second 
a branch bore two or more irregular whorls of leaves with hypertrophied 
and partly coherent petioles. This case, which does not appear to be 
common, seems to suggest that the upper part of a Pear—corresponding 
to the whole of an Apple—consists of the hypertrophied bases of the 
sepals. The figure of an Apple with so-called “ interrupted growth ” in 
“ Teratology ” (p. 337) would therefore receive its interpretation in that 
the lower part is axial and the upper foliar. The third case represented 
a more complete fusion, in that the successive whorls were all welded 
together. 
Dr. Masters describes this form as follows:—“The axis dilates 1o 
form the lower fruit without any true carpels being produced, but at its 
summit a whorl of leaves (sepals) is formed. Above these another 
swelling of the axis takes place, also without the formation of carpels, 
and this, it may be, is terminated in its turn by a branch producing 
leaves.” 
Judging from the last specimen Mr. Henslow w.as more inclined to 
regard this “ succession of pseudo-Pears ” i s whorls of leaves with 
hypertrophied petioles rather than as axiab This view was confirmed 
and accepted by Mr. G. Murray. 
The fruit of a Pear, therefore, would seem to be .axial below— Le., 
from its tapering point up to the base of the carpels ; but foliar from 
thence upwards to the summit. Apples, therefore, would have no truly 
axial part at all. 
Plants Exhibited.—hlr. R. J. Lurch brought the following from the 
Bot. Gard. Cambridge:—Vanda concolor (“ Bot. Mag..” (12, 3410); 
Cymbidium sinense (“ Lodd. Cat.” 37) ; Moricandia (Orychophragmus) 
sonchifolia (“ Bot. Mag.,” 0243) ; Acacia platyptera flore pallido, and 
“ Miss Hope’s ” IValltiower, a monstrous form, upon which Rev. G. 
Henslow undertook to report. 
Pomegranate (English).—He also showed a small fruit, about 
14 inch diameter, grown on the w.alls of Emanuel College, Cam¬ 
bridge. 
NEWTON’S SYSTEM OF GLAZING. 
I HAVE seen various modes of glazing, but for strength, lightness 
and economy combined this stands foremost, but requires bringing more 
prominently into notice to be more extensively employed. 
Fig. 5 gives a side view with the glass in position ; the iron bar is 
g.alvanised, making it almost imperishable. The corrugation underneath 
SIDE VIEW 
Fig. 6. 
gives strength and lightness, and causes moisture condensed thereon to 
run down on the under edges. 
As will be seen in fig. C they are provided at E with condense spouting, 
which carry oil the water to the gutter outside ; the glass resting on a 
separate rebate enables anyone to remove easily any dirt or grease that 
may accumulate in the channel, rendering the house free from drip. 
Paint and putty are entirely dispensed with, the glass being held securely, 
in position at the bottom at B with a lead clip, which prevents any 
possibility of slipping down the roof. At C is a copper spring that allows 
for expansion and contraction ; both these are fitted in holes punched in 
the bar, and the latter are b nt to the size of the house required. These 
are only a few of the advantages. 
Mr. A. H. Smee, who was appointed with Mr. .J.ames O’Brien on a Sub- 
Committee to report on it for the Royal Horticultural Society, thought 
the most practical way would be to have a roof fixed in his own garden, 
and a Pine stove was selected for the experiment. This being heated by 
A, Iron Bar. Clips. C, Copper Springs. D, Glass. E, Condense Gntlers. 
a large hot-water tank, it can be imagined there is great condensation 
and formerly too much drip, but that is overcome now. Anothei house 
of equal size was glazed at the time with wooden bars and the glass 
bedded in putty, using the same material outside, and the first cost of 
this was about the same as the oth r. I have visited places where there 
are larger houses than this on the same principle, and in each case they 
give perfect satisfaction. 1 have no motive in recommending this 
s) stem beyond making it known to the readers of the Journal who, con¬ 
template building, how well it has answered in Mr. Smee's garden. It 
is patented by Mr. Edgar Newton, Hitchin.—G. W.Cummixs. 
IMPRESSIONS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
We live in a world of change, with a constant hankering after some¬ 
thing fresh, and as there is nothing like frankness I may as well say at 
the outset that I am taking advantage of the new year, if not to turn 
over a new loaf, at least to change both the head and tail of a few 
jottings that may from time to time appear on matters of current 
interest. Being extremely sensitive and sympathising with human 
frailty, and having thought I discerned a shadow of it now and then, 
the substance of which appeared to indicate that my asssumption of 
the philosophic pen name, “ A Thinker,” was a little presumptuous, I 
cast aside the distinctive pseudonym as 1 would cast oti an old hat, for 
what may happen to be under it remains the same ; and now whoever 
the cap may chance to fit can put it on. 
I OUGHT in courtesy to acknowledge several inquiries as to my 
health and whereabouts that have found their way to my den. I am 
thankful to say I am no worse than I ought to be if I had my deserts 
for all shortcomings, and grateful that notwithstancling them I am per¬ 
mitted to take a turn at the wheel—wheelbarrow if you like—at the 
commencement of the year. As to where I am just nov/ and where 1 
have dwelt during the last fifty years, or what I have done, or am sup¬ 
posed to have done, in a past generation, is for present purjwses, per¬ 
haps, immaterial ; still if the curiosity of any reader of an inquiring 
t rn of mind should desire those particulars and adduce a good and 
sufficient reason for their possession, he can have them by post. An 
arrangement of this kind may po.ssibly avert the recurrence of past 
misunderstandings and slight mistakes. 
