90 . 
JOURNAL OF 
HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER I August 1, less. 
well-known American blight, and by this appearance, or the many white 
dabs (perhaps as many as sixty on a foot length of twigs), the attack 
may easily be distinguished. Just now the young scales are coming out 
in legions from the woolly bags, and give them the appearance of being 
dusted with cayenne pepper. This insect has been identified by Mr. 
J. W. Douglas, a leading authority on this family of insects, as Pul- 
vinaria ribesiae of Signoret, a kind known in Germany and France, but 
which had not before been identified as British. It is of so much 
importance to check an attack of this kind in its first spread that I 
would strongly advise all who find it in their gardens to cut down and 
burn the Currant bushes where they stand, to avoid the risk of the 
enormous quantity of young insects spreading to other bushes. A 
limewash, of which I expect shortly to be favoured with recipe in 
full, has been found serviceable for extirpating the pest in autumn ; 
but its destruction at once would be eminently desirable. Any infor¬ 
mation regarding this insect would be gratefully received.” 
-At the last meeting of the Royal Meteorological Societt 
for the present session Mr. W. Marriott gave a very graphic and 
interesting account of the recent thunderstorms which have prevailed 
over this country. On Sunday, June 2nd, a thunderstorm passed across 
the country in a northerly direction from Wiltshire about 3 a.m., and 
reaching Edinburgh by 10.44. It travelled at the rate of about fifty 
miles an hour. It is possible that this storm travelled still further 
north, and reached Kirkwall at 3.37 P.M. A severe thunderstorm 
prevailed over the neighbourhood of the Tweed between 11 A.M. and 
noon, and was accompanied by hail of very large size, some of the scones 
being 5 inches in circumference. A very destructive storm occurred 
over the whole of the north-west of England and south of Scotland 
during the afternoon ; much damage was caused by lightning, and very 
large hail fell over an extensive area. Some of the hailstones measured 
7 inches in circumference, and weighed 7 ozs. During the night of the 
same day a severe thunderstorm prevailed over Norfolk, which was also 
accompanied by very large hailstones, some of which were 5 to 6 inches 
in circumference. On Thursday the 6th thunderstorms prevailed during 
the afternoon over the whole of the south-east of England ; that which 
prevailed over the Metropolis about nine o’clock was remarkable for the 
brilliant and continuous display of lightning. During the same night 
and in the early morning of the following day a very destructive storm 
prevailed over the eastern counties, much damage being done by the 
lightning in the north-west of Norfolk. Severe hailstorms occurred 
between 2 and 3 A.M. both at Margate and Ipswich. During the after¬ 
noon of the 7th destructive thunderstorms prevailed over the whole of 
the southern counties, much damage being done by lightning; while at 
Tunbridge Wells there was a most remarkable hailstorm ; one of the 
hailstones which was weighed was actually half a pound in weight. An 
interesting collection of over forty photographs of lightning taken during 
the storm on June Gth was also exhibited to the meeting. In addition 
to the sinuous, ribbon, and meandering flashes of lightning, several photo¬ 
graphs showed knotted, multiple, and dark flashes. The following papers 
were also read :—“ The Climate of British North Borneo,” by Mr. R. H. 
Scott, M.A., F.R.S.; “ On the Variation of the Temperature of the Air 
in England during the period 1849 to 1888,” by Mr. W. Ellis, F.R.A.S., 
F.R.Met.Soc.; “Atlantic Weather and Rapid Steamship Navigation,” by 
Mr. C. Harding, F.R.Met.Soc.; “ Meteorological Phenomena Observed 
during 1875-87 in the neighbourhood of Chelmsford,” by Mr. Henry 
Corder ; “ Rainfall in China, and Meteorological Observations made at 
Ichang and South Cape in 1858,” by Dr. W. Doberck, F.R.Met. Soc. 
LILIUM BOLANDERI. 
A small flowered but very distinct Lily bearing the above name 
was shown a short time since by Mr. T. S. Ware, of Tottenham, at a 
meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society's Floral Committee, when 
it attracted some attention, as few had seen it before. We understand 
if is one of Mr. Ware’s recent acquisitions, and is rather scarce, as it is 
not included in the collection at Kew. At first sight the flowers would 
hardly be taken to be those of a Lilium, and they are perhaps more 
suggestive of some of the Fritillarias. According to the description by 
Sereno Watson in the proceedings of the American Academy of Arts 
and Sciences, the plant in a wild state has stems 1 to 3 feet high, 
each having one or two flowers, the leaves verticillate and slightly 
glaucous, and is related to both Lilium parvum and L. maritimum. 
The flowers have a nodding tendency, and are of a dull purplish hue 
or brownish red, becoming paler, and having numerous dark spots on 
the segments, the colouring and markings imparting a peculiar rather 
than a beautiful appearance. It is said to have been found on the 
Red Hills, Humboldt County, California, and in Humboldt Bay. It 
may prove to be hardy, and such is said to be the case, but it will 
require a little further testing, though it is remarkable that many 
Lilies reputedly delicate have been found quite hardy where they were 
least expected to be so. There is a strong probability that more Liliums 
are killed by superfluous solicitude for their welfare than by climatal 
defects. The greatest evil these plants have to contend with is a water¬ 
logged soil, and unless some means are adopted to alter such a condition 
it is usc’ess expecting to do much good in Lily culture out of doors. 
Provided suitable drainage is ensured there arc not so many difficulties 
in having a fairly large and representative collection in a satisfactory 
or even in a flourishing state, and this has been found in more than one 
garden.—C. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
July 23rd. 
Scientific Gommittee. —Present: Dr. M. T. Mas l ers in the chair, 
Messrs. Maclachlan, Morris, Michael, Oliver, Veitch, Wilson, Professor 
Ward, Dr. Miiller, and Rev. G. Henslow (Hon. Sec.). 
Pinus austriaca Injured. —Dr. Masters brought boughs of this tree 
with the young shoots dead, sent by Dr. Hogg. The tree, he reports, 
was planted eighteen years ago, but for the last two years has been 
attacked by some malady, the affection proceeding rapidly downwards. 
The soil on which it grew was a strong sandy clay, but well drained. 
No insect could be detected upon the boughs by Mr. Maclachlan. Mr. 
Veitch suggested the cold wet season, and probably an injurious sub¬ 
soil, as being the causes. Prof. Ward remarked that a sudden thaw 
chilling the roots would produce such an effect as the tree in question 
showed, or an east wind catching the side of a plantation would be 
a sufficient cause. The fungus, Hysterium Pini, which produces black 
spots, gives rise to a similar appearance, but the specimen showed 
scarcely any suspicion of this disease. Prof. Ward observed that the 
effect of frost in April is often recognised by the bases of the leaf- 
shoots remaining green, in consequence of the protection afforded them 
by the sheathing scales. 
Abies Xurdvianniana. —Dr. Scott reported as follows upon the 
specimens exhibited at the last meeting. “ It appears that the burr- 
like mass of branches with paler yellowish-green foliage was due to the 
