878 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 29, 1904. 
R.H.S. Scientific Committee. 
October 18th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S. (m the chair); Drs. 
Cooke and Russell ; Messrs. Odell, Chittenden Bowles, 
Saunders, and Holmes ; Revs. W. Wilks and G. Henslow, Hon. 
Bulbophyllum Weddeli. —Mr. Odell showed a spray of this 
Orchid, remarkable for the oscillating character of the label urn 
Dahlia virescent.— Mr. Saunders showed somefloweis fiom 
a cottage garden, malformed, upon which Dr. Masters w 
lie htum LYE from.— 'Dr. Plowright sent specimens and the 
following communication: “For some years past I have been 
endeavouring to obtain specimens of Litliospermum aivense, i 
order to test its colouring properties; but I have neither been 
able myself to meet with specimens, nor have I been able to 
obtain any from my friends. At the suggestion of.Mr. G. M- 
Holmes, i examined the roots of Cynogiossum officinale ai 
Eclnum vulgare. In the first named I failed to detect any 
colour • but in the last named certain specimens contain alkanin 
in appreciable quantities- As is well known, Eclnum vulgare 
favours sandy soils, and it is often a brilliant ornament to our 
sandy lanes and barren places or heaths, etc. At times it 
strays into cultivated light land. I have examined specimens 
from five localities near King's. Lynn, m three of which the 
Eclnum roots were devoid of red colour, excepting, perhaps, the 
barest trace. In the other two the colour was developed m nryo 
or less extended patches on the main and secondary roots. I he 
acre of the plant does not seem to have much effect upon its 
production ; but, if anything, it is more abundant m the biennial 
plant. Two localities which produced it in greatest quantity 
had this in common. They were both 1 almost pure sand, but 
received the washings from the main road made of imported 
aranite. In fields, whether manured or not, and in ordinary 
sandy habitats, the roots were devoid of colour. So were speci¬ 
mens growing on roadsides where any flint was employed as road 
metal.” The "probable explanation is that the disintegration of 
the granite yields an appreciable amount of potash, ihe 
alkanin is confined to the cortex, as the accompanying figures 
show. It is deposited in the cell walls in a more or less patchy 
manner. By treatment with caustic potash the red cells are 
change*! to bright blue. The coloured parts of the roots were 
treated with spirit of wine and oil of turpentine, both of which 
dissolved out the alkanin. Fragments of root were treated with 
white wax, with white hard paraffin, and with lard, to all of 
which the red colour was yielded (see specimen sent). A disc 
covered with the alkanin of commerce is also sent. My friend, 
Rev. H. E. Bishop, of Middleton Vicarage, near King’s Lynn, 
has been successful in growing the true Ancliusa (Alkana) 
tinctoria in his rookwork garden. He has kindly Supplied 
a specimen from the root of which the accompanying specimen 
of lard has been coloured pink, as well as a disc, of white wax 
(both specimens sent). The living plant and its flowe*r are also 
sent. The red colour of the root is very marked. It contains 
much larger quantities of the colouring matter, of course, than 
does the Echium.” - 
Corticium Ciirysanthemi, n. sp. —Dr. Plowright also sent the 
following description of a new fungus, upon which Dr. Cooke 
will also report: “ Effused, incrusting indeterminate, milk- 
white thing (?), with a filamentous substratum ; spores oval, 
with a large nucleus, 5 to 8 by 3 to 5 m.k. Parasitic on bases of 
the stems and roots of the cultivated Chrysanthemum, in 
gardens, King’s Lynn. This species, which I have known for¬ 
mally years, is the common cause of death for old Chrysanthe¬ 
mum plants. It is closely allied to. Corticium sambuci, but. 
differs in its habits in being confined to ground line and just 
below it of its host. It extends both upwards and downwards 
for an inch or two, and mats together the affected stems and 
surrounding earth. It eventually causes the death of the plants 
it ci 11acks * * 
Fruit-fly Parasite, Discovery of.— Mr. A. Sanderson, 
Chislehurst, sent an interesting account of Mr. G. Cowpere’s 
discovery in Brazil of the parasite of the fruit-fly, well known 
as a devastator of orchards in South Africa, Jamaica, Bermudas, 
Italy, Spain, and Southern France, as well as Malta, After 
two years’ travel of search with no success, he finally discovered 
it in Sao Paolo, and succeeded in conveying it alive, by render¬ 
ing it torpid by the refrigerator, to Australia. A difficulty 
arose in the seasons of Brazil and Australia not coinciding, so 
that Mr. Cowpere is feeding them artificially till the fruit season 
comes round. He found several other parasites, as of the black 
scale, which has revolutionised the treatment of the pest in 
California, where its success has convinced even the most 
sceptical. Mr. Cowpere secured a second parasite of the black 
scale in Brazil. He discovered also the Codlin moth parasite 
in Europe. 
Plant BltG. —Mr. Saunders reports as follows upon specimens 
sent by Miss Cope:—“The insect attacking the plants is one 
of the plant bugs (Lygus pabulinus), a common insect on 
various plants. The members of the bug family, unlike many 
other insects, when they emerge from the egg very much re¬ 
semble their parents in general appearance, though, of course, 
they are much smaller, and this similarity increases as the 
insect grows, so that it is never in a dormant state, as other 
insects are when they become chrysalides. This is one reason 
why these insects are difficult to destroy. Many, however, 
might be killed by shaking the plants they are infesting over 
freshly tarred or painted boards, or sheets of card or metal. 
Others might be destroyed by spraying the plants thoroughly 
with a solution of paraffin emulsion, or some other insecticide 
containing soft soap. In the case of a plant growing against a 
wall it might be possible to so fasten up a tarpaulin or some 
thick canvas that the plant might be fumigated. I cannot 
suggest any other methods of destroying these insects.” 
Trichosantiies, Tendrils of. —Mr. Odell showed specimens 
of T. anguina and T. cucumerina, the tendrils of which (re¬ 
sembling those of the Bryony) had adhered by adhesive pads 
to a flat wall in a similar way to Virgina Creeper. The usual 
method of climbing is to twist round some slender support. 
Nerine sarniensis from Japan. —Mr. Worsley drew attention 
to the fact that he had received bulbs with other plants pre¬ 
sumably from Japan, and that both Kaempfer and Tliunberg, 
in 1795, recorded it as a native (“ Bot. Mag.,” t. 294). It is 
said to be common at Nagasaki, and the question arose whether 
it had not reached Japan from the Cape, or whether those early 
botanists had confounded it with Lycoris. 
Herbertia pulohella, Droppers. —Mr. Worsley also showed 
specimens of bulbs of this plant with long brown scales, within 
which the bulb bad grown downwards some inch or two, but 
without the aid of contractile roots. 
Woods, Photos of. —Dr. Russell showed several remarkable 
photographs of sections of woods, taken by the action of the 
wood itself on a photographic plate in the dark. The spring 
(active) and the autumn wood (inactive) appeared as black 
and white concentric circles. The action is due to the presence 
of resinous matter, which gives rise to peroxide of hydrogen. In 
the autumn woods resin is present, but cannot escape. It is 
remarkable that in the Larch, Cedar, and Deodar, the action 
of the spring and autumn layers is reversed. (See “ Proceed¬ 
ings of the Royal Society,” vol. 74.) 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be pul 
as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only; a 
separate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
of their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
envelope is enclosed, and the return of specimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Fine Foliage Plants. 
Would you be good enough to name a few fine foliage shrubs 
with coloured leaves that would make fine contrasts in beds 
during summer? (L. T. C.) 
Shrubs with more or less yellow foliage would include Cornus 
Spaetlii, C. Mas aurea elegantissima, Weigela Looymansii aurea, 
Golden Privet, Hedera Helix arborescens foliis aureis, and I 
H. H. flavescens. Purple foliage would be supplied by the 
Purple Hazel and Berberis vulgaris foliis aureis, and white 
variegation would be supplied by Cornus alba sibirica varie- 
gata. There are several other good subjects that might be em¬ 
ployed, but the above are very hardy, distinct, and effective. 
Rose Sporting. 
Would you kindly give your opinion of the enclosed red Rose? 
It is a sport from the white one. (P. M.) 
Tlie shoots of the red sport which you sent us appeared 
quite as good as the white one. You do not say what the name - 
of it is, but we take it to be Rose Red Pet, which by some 
growers is classed amongst the dwarf Polvantha Roses, while 
the National Rose Society places it amongst the China Roses. 
In like manner we take the white one to be White Pet, and 
although the origin of the two is not given, we suspect that one 
