May 13, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
403 
SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 
Scientific Committee, April 25th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S. (ini the chair); Dr. M. C. 
Cooke, Prof. J. Percival; Messrs. Saunders, Bowles, Giissow, 
Sutton, Holmes, Douglas, Massee, and Chittenden (lion sec). 
Malformed Iris. —Dr. Masters showed' drawings of the 
stamens of the flowers of Iris tuberosa brought to the last meet¬ 
ing by Mr. Worsley. The filament had branched so that each 
stamen bore two anthers. 
Forms of Narcissus Bulbocodium. —Regarding these shown 
at the last meeting, Miss Willmott writes: “I have some 200 
geographical forms of N. Bulbocodium collected some fifty or 
sixty years ago by the late M. Alexis Jordan. They were cul¬ 
tivated by him at Lyons until his death, a few years since, then 
they passed into my hands. By his notes upon them, and my 
own observation during the years they have been in my posses¬ 
sion, I find that the same amount of variation continues which 
M. Jordan observed' fifty years ago. The time of flowering also 
varies by several weeks in some of the forms.” 
Injured Horse Chestnut Shoots. —Mr. Saunders reported 
upon these shown at the last meeting : “ I cannot find any cause 
for the injury. I can only suggest that the shoots may have 
been injured by blows from other branches in a gale, or from 
some other cause ; the injuries were received some months ago.” 
Diseased Arums. —Mr. Giissow reported : “ I have kept the 
roots under observation since March 28, but could not discover 
any cause of the injury whatever. The bacteria present in the 
decayed portion at the base of the tuber were saprophytic. 
The plants should be kept dry for a period, and then trans¬ 
planted into new sandy soil containing some charcoal. After 
forming new rootlets they should be transplanted and cultivated 
in the ordinary way.” 
Striped Auricula. —Mr. Douglas showed a plant raised by 
Mr. Horner from seed from a dark red flower. The seedling at 
first bore yellow flowers, but later the flowers produced were 
striped with dark red. Offsets from the plant had, with one 
exception, borne yellow flowers. 
Primrose Malformed.— Mr. A. W. Sutton brought specimens 
which had been raised by division from the plant shown before 
the committee two years ago, in which “ the umbel was partly 
formed, but with multifold flowers of twelve parts, and with a 
partly petaloid calyx, etc.” The original plant was found in a 
w T ood close to Bucklebury Place, Berks, and seventy or eighty 
plants have been raised from it by division. Four of the plants 
have reverted to the common Primrose, and show no variation 
whatever from the ordinary type. All the rest have partly 
formed umbels with multifold flowers, with the exception of three 
or four, which more or less closely resemble the form of the 
Polyanthus. The plants, after division, have been left to the 
care of themselves, planted under an east wall on jioor soil. 
Double Primrose.— Mr. Sutton also showed double flowers of 
Primrose gathered from a plant growing wild. 
Ranunculus asiaticus tar sanguineus. —Mr. Sutton also 
submitted specimens of the single wild Ranunculus asiaticus, 
which is, perhaps, the commonest wild flower of Palestine, 
ivhere the plains are frequently carpeted with it. This is so 
much the case in the plain of Sharon that it has by many 
travellers been supposed to be the ‘ Rose of Sharon ’ of Scripture. 
Wherever this Ranunculus grows it is preceded in bloom by the 
single Anemone, which flowers some two or three weeks earlier. 
As the single form of the Ranunculus is seldom seen in England, 
travellers usually confuse the two plants, and speak of both as 
Anemones. The Anemones are generally of the same colour as 
the Ranunculus, but in certain localities produce flowers of the 
most lovely shades of mauve, purple, cerise, and white.” The 
Ranunculus shows little variation, but forms with orange or 
bronzy-yellow flowers are occasionally met with. Mr. Bowles 
said he had flowered the plant in his garden last year. 
Spur of Dendrobium.— Mr. Bowles showed drawings of a 
flower of Dendrobium chrysotoxum, in which the spur had not 
1 cieloped fully. 1 ho structure seen in this flower clearly showed 
that the spur is not an outgrowth of the sepal as is usually sup¬ 
posed, but is an axial structure entirely. 
- econopsis integrifolia. —This newly introduced plant, 
shown by Messrs. Veitch, was, on the motion of Dr. Masters, 
seconded by Prof. Percival, awarded a botanical certificate 
Diseased Montbretia.— Mr. Bowles showed conns of Mont- 
bretia which were decaying at the base. Mr. Massee undertook 
Apple Buds Injured. —These sent by Dr. Dunlop, Armagh, 
appeared to be eaten away at the sides, and were taken by M r. 
Saunders for examination. 
Fruit-tree Twigs Injured.— Shoots of Apple and Pear having 
poorly developed and injured buds were taken by Mr. Saunders 
lor examination. 
Deterioration of Potatos. —In continuation of the discus¬ 
sion on this subject, Mr. A. W. Sutton said that the length of 
time any variety lasted without deterioration depended very 
largely' upon its vigour at the time of its first production ; In- 
found that, as a rule, crossbred plants were less likely to 
degenerate than those from seed produced from over-fertilised 
subjects by pollen of the same variety ; he had never found that 
the selection of tubers from the stock of any one variety had ever 
resulted in the improvement of that variety, although, of course, 
the selection of plants which had been produced from seed was 
all-important. Prof. Percival thought that there were well- 
authenticated cases of sports (or bud variations) having arisen 
which were perpetuated after selection. 
Coloured Leaf of Richardia. —Mr. Charrington, of Bury’s 
Court, Reigate, sent a specimen of Richardia elliotiana having 
a large yellow blotch on the leaf which left the flower stalk just 
below the spathe—a kind of second spathe. This specimen has 
shown the same peculiarity for the past three years. 
MANCHESTER ROYAL BOTANICAL AND HORTI¬ 
CULTURAL SOCIETY. 
May 4th and 5th. 
It must have been a source of deep gratification to the Lanca¬ 
shire ardent horticulturists to learn that the above society has 
been placed in the position to continue) its excellent work. For 
seventy-five years the society lias done much in the cause of 
horticulture throughout the North, and it would have been a 
great loss if the society had been compelled to close its doors 
through the large adverse balance. But thanks to a beneficent 
donor the buildings and grounds have been overhauled and 
renovated, and at the present time many r distinct improvements 
can be seen. In the large annexe many hundreds of Spiraeas, 
Lilacs, and Azalea mollis make a floral picture of much beauty. 
The garden design outside is furnished with masses of Primrose 
and Polyanthus that are highly effective. 
The spring exhibition was non-competitive, but was fairly ex¬ 
tensive, and certainly interesting and instructive. Awards were 
given to the undermentioned : — 
Gold Medals.— Mr. John Robson made a bold show with 
Orchids, including the leading kinds, now flowering, new Car¬ 
nations, Albatross (a pure white variety), Flamingo (a bright 
scarlet), Schizanthus wisetonensis (in variety, well grown), and 
many hardy border plants. 
Messrs. John Cowan and Co. staged a very fine bank of 
Orchids. Awards of Merit were granted for Odontoglossum 
excellens, O. concinnum, and Cypripedium aureum virginale 
magnificum; First-class Certificates for Odontoglossum pereul- 
gum and Cattleya Schroderae Mendelii. Other good types were 
Odontoglossum crispum (in good variety), O. Adriane, Dendro¬ 
bium virginale, Cattleya callistoglossa, etc. 
Silver Gilt Medals.— Messrs. James Cypher and Sons con¬ 
tributed a collection of Orchids, including many choice forms, 
such as Odontoglossum crispum, Dendrobium thrysiflorm, 
Cattleya intermedia alba, C. Skinnerii alba, C. laurenceana 
Brassavola digbyana, Cypripedium Maudei, and others. Good 
forms of Anthuriums were also included. 
Messrs. Dickson, Brown, and Tait had a large collection of 
Tulips, embracing many varieties, both old and new, and of the 
latter were Hector, Blaze, Pink Beauty, Queen of the Pinks, 
Grace Darling, Nobleana, etc. A collection of St. Brigid 
Anemones added to the interest. 
Silver Medals.— Messrs. Charlesworth and Co. brought a 
choice collection of Orchids, including Laeliocattleya Lady Miller 
(First class Certificate), T, c. luminosa (First-class Certificate). 
L Cy 1 1 yean a, L c. Mercer, Cattleya Empress Frederick and 
others-. 
Lord Ellesmere had a pleasing arrangement in the form of a 
cone of Palms, Caladiums, Odontoglossums, Oncidiums, etc. 
Mr. W. Duckworth had fine spikes of Dendrobium thrysiflorm. 
Laelias, Orcidiums, etc. 
Mr. J. E. "Williamson had a table of Palms and foliage plants, 
Cypripediums. Oncidiums, Odontoglossums, etc. 
Award of Merit.— Mr. J. A. Bruce, for a general collection 
of plants, including Heliotropes, Geraniums. Cinerarias, Calceo¬ 
larias, etc. ; Mi\ R. Vernon, for a box of Viola white May, a 
promising free variety of pure white, with small yellow eye. 
Mr. P. Weathers, the courteous curator and secretary, made 
satisfactory arrangements. 
