184 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 28, i9o3 
* Gleanings from the World of Science. 
R.H.S. Scientific Committee, February 10th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters, in the chair; Messrs. Baker, 
Odell, Michael, Bowles, Wcrsdell, Llewellyn, and Fraser; Drs. 
Cooke and Rendle; ltevs. W. Wilks, Engleheart, and 0. Hen- 
slow, lion. sec. 
Soil with Mycelium. —A sample sent to the last meeting by 
Mrs. Gamwell proved to be “ thoroughly permeated with the 
white mycelium threads of some fungus ; but Dr. Cooke 
added “ that it is impossible to say what its future development 
might be. It is certainly destructive to vegetation of any 
kind.” . . .. 
Gelatinous Substances —Dr. Cooke reports that “ the nostoc- 
like substances sent to the last meeting by Mr. Bird exhibited 
no organic structure whatever affording any clue to its origin.” 
Eelworms. —Mr. D. A. Voss, Melrose, Whitworth Road, 
South Norwood, sent the following communication : Twelve' 
houses, each 200 ft. by 20 ft., used for growing Cucumbers 
and Tomatos, have become infested with eelworm. The soil 
to the depth of 3 ft. has been removed already from several 
of these, and in one or two the surface left exposed thereby has 
been dressed with lime and soot. I feel that the simple re¬ 
moval of the soil may leave in isolated spots some source of 
infection, which may lead in a short time to the whole labour 
expended being wasted, and 1 shall be glad of any advice as to 
the most satisfactory and effective way of avoiding this. It is 
not convenient to either change the crop grown or to allow a. 
Ions- period of idleness.” Mr. Odell lias reported as follows : — 
•• To prevent recurrence of this pest, drastic measures must 
betaken to destroy the eggs of the eelworm (Tylenchus) ; merely 
dressing the bed with lime and soot will not be effective. (1) 
The whole of the brickwork inside the house should be scrubbed 
with a hard brush and strong soda water, afterwards lime wash¬ 
ing the same. (2) All barrows, baskets, and other tools used 
tO' take out the old soil should be treated as infectious and 
thoroughly cleansed. (3) The soil used for refilling the beds 
should be as fresh as possible; soil standing or stacked near the 
houses should not be used. (4) Avoid stable or farmyard 
manure for a time if possible ; use artificial manure' instead. 
It should be remembered that organic manures are frequently 
a source of infection, as the nematodes can pass uninjured 
through the' intestines of an animal fed on infected fodder. 
The leaflet of the Board of Agriculture on the knot-disease 
caused by eelworms advises that tire interior of the house 
should be washed with carbolic acid one part, and water eight 
parts. This, I should think, would be more effective than, tire 
strong soda solution recommended.” 
Chrysanthemums Diseased. —Mr. Dyer, Mitchell Road, 
Formby, sent portions of the variety “ Modes®.” Mr. Michael 
undertook to examine and report upon them. 
Apple Stem Decayed. —Mr. S. Sharp, Westbury, Wilts, sent a 
shoot- decayed and apparently attacked by Nectria ditissima, 
a fungus which attacks wounded place®, and, as Dr. Cooke 
observed, having once penetrated the wood there is. no cure, as 
it spreads through the wood. 
Grubs in Soil. —Specimens were sent by Miss M. C. Edlmann, 
Hawkwood, Chislelrurst, upon which Mr. Saunders reports as 
follows : " The grub® (so-called) proved to be of two kinds ; 
those which were most numerous had unfortunately become 
chrysalides, so that it is impossible to name them with any 
certainty. I believe that they belong to the family Bibionidae, 
the same family to which the very common flies, the ‘ St. 
Mark's’ flies, belong—they are so named because they are 
often found flying about in large numbers on or about St. 
Mark's Day .(April 25th). They are in a perfectly harmless 
condition, but as grubs they feed on the roots of plants, and 
are the cause of much injury to them. There were two speci¬ 
mens of the ‘galley-worm,’ Polydesmus complanatus, one of 
the Myriapods nearly allied to the Julidae, and are most de¬ 
structive creatures. Insecticides have little or no effect on 
them, but they may be trapped by burying small slices of 
Turnips, Mangolds, or Carrots just below the surface of the 
soil near the plants they are attacking. A small wooden 
skewer should be stuck into each, so as to show where they 
are buried; these traps should be examined every morning.” 
Saxifraga burseriana Diseased .—Mr. C. Wolley Dod sent 
some plants with the following observations: “ I send some 
badly-diseased plants of Saxifraga b. x var. Boydi. This 
disease has nearly extinguished my stock of this variety, and 
I have not found any effectual remedy. It has been progressing 
for three or four years. Some other kinds of S. b. type are 
attacked by it, but less generally.” Dr. Cooke undertook to 
examine and report upon it. 
Eulbs with Dying Roots .—Dr. Voelcker inquired on behalf of 
a lady who found that bulbs of Roman Hyacinths, Freesias, 
and Daffodils, after being potted and placed in a greenhouse, 
were apparently growing well, but of which the roots had 
decayed. Mr. Wilks observed that this was due to the bulbs 
not having been allowed to make roots in ashes for a month 
previously, so that the shoots were living at the expense of 
the bulb only ; not having sufficient roots for a supply, the 
latter were starved. 
Calanthe, rapid flowering. —Mr. Odell called attention to the 
very short time in which a plant exhibited at the show had 
taken to flower, for it was sown only eleven months ago. 
Calanthes, hybrids. —Dr. Masters showed purple and white 
flowers received from Mr. Chapman, who wrote as follows: 
" The hybrid Calanthes, C. Sibyl (pure white) and C. Oakwood 
Ruby (the deepest-coloured variety in cultivation), were both 
obtained from the same pod of seed, the original cross being 
C. Yeitchi and C. rubro oculata. From selections of the best 
varieties derived from this batch of seedlings and intercrossing 
amongst themselves, and continuing the inbreeding for four or 
five generations at Oakwood, these! remarkable results are 
obtained. 
“ This is interesting at the present moment, seeing that 
‘ Mendel's Laws of Inheritance ’ have been placed so pro¬ 
minently before the members of the Scientific Committee of 
the Royal Horticultural Society. It certainly goes far enough 
to prove that, instead of reversion to the original crossing by 
the process of inbreeding, the result has produced and placed 
before us the widest possible variations from the original cross 
and from each other : showing that ‘ Mendel’s Laws ’ cannot 
be applied in the way same as our prominent specialists have 
indicated. It may be interesting also to state what effect in- 
breeding has had upon the constitution of these plants. It is 
impossible to describe the diminished size of the bulbs, while 
the general constitution of both varieties is exceedingly 
delicate. C. Oakwood Ruby I consider the most difficult sub¬ 
ject to cultivate among the whole genus of Calanthes : I regard 
it as one of the most difficult Orchids I have ever had to deal 
with. I hope, before the season is over, to place before the 
committee other results of inbreeding of Orchids which, I 
think, will go far to prove the inapplicability of ' Mendel’s Laws ’ 
to Orchids.” 
Chinese Priinulas,Ivy-leaved. —Dr. Masters showed drawings 
of this variety taken in 1887, the flowers being remarkable for 
having only four petals and abortive organs. It appeal’s to 
be precisely the same now, not having advanced at all. 
Oypripedium synanthic. — He also showed drawings of the 
flower of a plant having, six stamens and sepals multiplied. 
