February  6,  1902. 
126  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  Scientific  Comniittee  (R.H.S.) 
January  24th. 
Present. — H.  J.  Veitcli,  Esq.  (in  the  chair) ;  and  Me.ssr.s. 
Druery,  Douglas,  Holmes,  Saunders,  Shea,  Michael,  Bowles, 
Bev.  W.  Wilks,  Drs.  Muller,  Cooke',  and  Masters. 
Bulbiform  Seed  of  Crinum. — Mr.  Druery  shoAved  on  behalf  of 
Mr.  Roupell  a  fine  example  of  this  curious  condition.  The  seed 
was  of  the  size  of  a  small  Apple,  green  and  fleshy. 
Red  Spot  (,n  Leares  of  Iinantojl  ijllum.—lsiv.  Saunders  brought 
Specimens  .showing  a  red  spot.  It  AA'as  stated  that  these  spots 
sometimes  followed  on  the  attacks  of  the  bulb-mite,  and  that 
they  were  connected  AA'ith  the  pre.sence  of  a  Yeast  fungus 
(Sac  diaromyces). 
Cucumber  Leaves- — From  Mrs.  Batten  Pool  came  AA'ith  the 
familiar  signs  of  the  presence  of  red  spider. 
Grub  in  Boots  of  Pceony. — Mr.  Cannington  Ley,  of  Farleigh, 
sent,  through  Mr.  Bunyard,  Pseony  roots  eaten  by  the  larva  of 
some  moth,  AA’hich  was  pronounced  to  be  a  Swift  moth,  Hepialus. 
Cyripediuni  insiqne  variety. — Mr.  Tracy,  Amyand  Park  Road, 
TAvickenham,  sent  a  specimen  Avhich  may  be  described  as  a  dAvarf 
or  stunted  floAver,  in  Avhich  all  the  parts  of  the  flower  are  normal , 
but  much  reduced  in  size.  The  plant  produced  floAvers  of  the 
same  character  la.st  year  also.  No  information  AA'as  given  as  to 
Avhether  the  AA'hole  plant  Avas  dAvarfed,  or  only  the  floAver. 
Cyripedium  insiqne  variety. — In  this  specimen,  from  Mr. 
Parr,  Trent  Park,  NeAV  Barnet,  there  were  tAA’o  floAvers,  the  top¬ 
most  floAver  expanding  first,  the  second  flower  developing  from 
the  axil  of  the  bract  Avhich  was  developed  as  a  perfect  leaf.  The 
parts  of  the  floAver  Avere  normal. 
Richardia  Corms. 
Mr.  G.  S.  Saunders  I'eported  on  the  corms  sent  to  the  last 
meeting :  “  The  Richardia  corms  that  I  took  aAvay  from  the  last 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Scientific  Com¬ 
mittee  are  attacked  by  one  of  the  ‘  bulb  mites,’  probably 
Rhlzoglyphus  echinopus;  it  is  a  A^'ery  difficult  pest  to  deal  Avith. 
Water  at  a  temperature  of  llSdeg  F.  Avill  kill  them.  I  should 
add  4oz  of  sulphide  of  potassium  to  every  quart  of  water,  and 
alloAv  the  bulbs  to  remain  in  the  mixture  for  ten  minutes  or  a 
quarter  of  an  hour.  I  do  not  imagine  it  Avould  injure  them  in 
any  Avay,  the  injury  does  not  seem  to  have  gone  very  far  beloAv 
the  surface,  so  that  it  might  be  Avell  to  cut  out  the  injured 
portion  before  putting  them  into  the  warm  water.  I  should  be 
very  careful  not  to  allow  any  of  the  earth  in  which  these  plants 
were  grown  to  get  upon  the  potting  bench,  or  any  uncontaminated 
soil.  As  to  the  Cyclamens,  I  must  admit  that  I  was  unable  to 
find  any  eelworms  in  the  roots,  but  they  are  affected  so  exactly 
in  the  same  manner  as  others  in  Avhioh  I  have  found  them,  that 
I  have  no  doubt  but  that  the  ‘  rootknot  eelworm  ’  (Heterodera 
rad'cola)  is  the  cause.  I  cannot  suggest  any  remedy,  but  to 
preAmnt  the  pest  spreading  the  plants  and  the  soil  in  Avhich  they 
'are  groAAung  should  be  burnt,  and  on  no  account  thrown  on  to  a 
rubbish  heap,  or  any  of  the  soil  allowed  to  come  in  contact  Avith 
non-infested  soil.”  Mrs.  Batten  Pool  noAV  sent  specimens  of  the 
Richardia  in  groAvth  to  supplement  the  conns  above  alluded  to. 
On  examining  the  plants,  the  older  roots  were  found  to  be  decay¬ 
ing,  but  an  attempt  Avas  made  to  form  new  roots.  The  appear¬ 
ances  were  thought  by  the  committee  to  be  due  to  a  check  caused 
by  cold. 
Fasciation  in  Valeriana  arlzonlca. 
“  In  March  last,”  writes  Mr.  Worthington  Smith,  “  I  received 
by  post,  from  Dr.  Masters,  a  specimen  of  Valeriana  arizonica  for 
iliu.stration.  The  example  was  received  in  a  flat  and  semi-dried 
state,  and  it  had  previously  been  received  also  by  po.st  from  Mr. 
Henkel ,  of  Darmstadt,  so  the  specimen  may  be  truly  said  to  have 
passed  through  some  Aucissitudes  before  I  received  it.  The 
illustration  is  printed  in  the  ‘  Gardener.s’  Chronicle’  for  March  30, 
1901.  I  planted  the  damaged  and  cut  rootstock  in  very  poor 
earth  in  a  pot,  and  placed  it  under  glass  without  heat,  with  the 
result  that  the  old  rootstock  has  noAv  produced  two  neAV  growths, 
both  tAvice  the  size  of  the  original  plant,  with  leaves  tAA'ice  the 
normal  length,  all  parts  fasciated  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and 
Avith  floAvers  from  two  to  three  months  in  advance  of  the  parent. 
Fasciation  is  sometimes  put  down  to  over-rich  living  and  com¬ 
fortable  surroundings,  but  in  this  instance  it  seems  to  have  been 
brought  about  by  serious  difficulties.” 
Pelargonium  Leaves. 
With  reference  to  Dr.  Cooke’s  report  on  these  leaves,  Mr. 
Fraser  Avrites : — “  I  should  like  to  say  a  word  in  reply  to  the 
suggestions  made:  (1)  As  to  faulty  cultivation.  I  can  plead  that 
I  have  been  an  amateur  plantsman  for  over  forty  years,  during 
fifteen  of  which,  in  my  younger  days,  I  single-handed,  grew  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants  for  exhibition  with  good  success.  I 
ahvays  use  the  best  materials  I  can  buy  for  compost,  and  have 
nermr  yet  put  a  plant  into  a  dirty  pot.  (2)  The  wash  I  used  Avas 
sulphide  of  potassium  and  softsoap,  applied  both  by  spraying 
and  liberal  ablution,  and  as  fungus  and  sulphur  do  not  agree,  the 
former  may  have  got  the  worst  of  it.  (3)  My  greenhouse  has  the  sun 
on  it  sixteen  hours  a  day  in  the  long  days,  and  a  fair  share  in  the 
short  ones.  It  is  glazed  Avith  glass  16in  Avide,  between  rafter.s 
lin  thick,  and  the  glass  is  Avashed  Avhen  necessary,  .so  the  plants 
enjoy  all  the  light  it  is  possible  to  g  ve  them  in  London.  \.e 
have  had  little  fog  so  far.  In  all  my  experience  I  hav'e  neA'er 
seen  Pelargonium  leaves  decay  in  the  same  Avay  before,  and  to 
me  the  cause  is  still  obscure.  I  no.v  intend  to  try  nitrate  of 
soda,  to  induce  leaf  groAA'th,  and  later  on  Avill  report  the  result.” 
Chrysanthemum  and  CornfloAver  Rust. 
Dr.  Cooke  made  the  following  communication  on  this  .sub¬ 
ject  : — “  Recently,  when  I  reported  to  the  committee  upon  these 
rusts,  I  applied  a  scientific  name  to  the  fungus  doubtfully,  and 
Avith  a  mental  re&ervat.on  that  in  each  case  they  Avere  the  Ilredo 
form  of  Puccinia  Hieracii,  and  this  A\'as  precisely  Avhat  the  book¬ 
makers  led  me  to  do.  I  am  since  informed  that  in  spite  of  all 
the  efforts  and  experiments  of  the  hetserocismists,  they  are 
unable  to  claim  the  IJredo  of  the  Chry.santhemum  as  the  Hredo 
form  of  Puccinia  Hieracii,  or  any  other  Puccinia,  Avhich  I  believed 
in  my  OAvn  heart  all  along.  NoAvadays  Ave  are  not  permitted  to 
trust  our  eyes,  but  must  have  faith  in  experiments.  Hence  the 
poor  Chrysanthemum  rust  is  an  orphan,  or  Avorse,  even  illegiti¬ 
mate,  and  must  remain  as  IT redo  Chrysanthemi.  As  to  the  other 
rust,  it  aAA'aits  the  result  of  experiment ;  but  I  am  more  disposed 
to  call  it  the  IJredo  of  Puccinia  Centaureae,  Avhich  has  been  united 
or  mixed  up  Avith  Puccinia  Hieracii.  I  may  be  permitted  to 
observe  that  no  feAver  than  fourteen  of  the  old  species  of  Puccinia 
date  before  the  Reformation  ;  and  I  knoAv  not  hoAv  many  species 
of  IJredo  are  all  bundled  together  into  the  latter-day  species 
called  Puccinia  Hieracii,  amongst  these  being  the  Puccinia 
Centaureae  of  Martins,  and  still  nearer  to  our  tramping  IJredo, 
the  Puccinia  Cyani  of  Passerini.  Let  us  hope  that  this  also  Avill 
find  rest  at  last.  I  should  recommend  horticulturists  to  call  it 
Uredo  Centaureae,  and  they  will  not  be  very  far  from  the  truth. — 
M.  C.  C.” 
.  J  - - 
Insects  are  not  Pests  in  their  Natural  Home. 
This  is  ft  subject  that  has  only  of  recent  years  attracted  the 
ftttention  of  the  entomologist  throughout  the  world,  and  a  great 
deal  of  discussion  has  taken  place  upon  this  branch  of  economic 
entomology  of  late  years,  as  to  what  are  the  agents  that  play^  such 
an  important  role  as  the  controlling  factor  in  the  multiplication  of 
insect  pests.  It  has  become  well  understood  that  insets  seldom, 
if  ever,  become  pests  in  their  natural  home,  but  become  so,  and 
more  often  very  serious  ones,  when  transplanted  to  a  new  region 
or  country.  It  was  first  supposed  that  climatic  conditions  were 
responsible  for  these  changes,  but  that  has  been  found  to  have 
little  or  nothing  to  do'  with  it,  but  is  the  work  of  natural  enemies, 
and  it  will  not  be  many  years  before  the  fighting  of  insect  pests 
with  artificial  methods  will  become  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  be 
superseded  by  Nature’s  own  forces.  But  before  that  can  be 
accomplished  man  will  be  required  to  play  a  very  important  role 
in  the  programme. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  when  any  county  or  region  has 
been  left  undisturbed  by  man,  all  forms  of  life  have  accom¬ 
modated  themselves  to  their  surroundings,  and  under  those  cir¬ 
cumstances  it  would  be  most  unusual  to  find  that  any  animal  or 
plant  had  broken  its  natural  bounds  and  disturbed  the  ba,lanoe 
of  nature.  But  so  soon  as  man’s  well-meaning  ignorance  inter¬ 
venes  the  case  becomes  different;  the  native  fauna  and  flora  are 
transplanted  to'  other  regions  and  fresh  ones  introduced,  and 
while  some  exist  with  difficulty,  others  break  loose  from  ah 
restraint  and  destroy  other  forms  of  life  and  become  pests.  This 
is  caused  by  being  transplanted  from  one  country  to  another 
without  also'  transplanting  their  natural  enemies  with  them. 
And  it  will  now  be  for  man  to  find  the  home  of  these  various 
insects’  pests,  and  there  seek  the  natural  enemies ;  and  in  doing 
so  the  greatest  care  will  have  to  be  exercised  in  transplanting 
these  natural  enemies  without  their  natural  enemies,  or,  in  pther 
wor  s,  the  secondary  parasites. 
Every  particular  plant  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  has  its 
enemies  in  the  form  of  insects,  and  every  particular  insect  has 
also  its  enemies  in  other  forms  of  insects,  and  when  man  removes 
any  ulant  from  its  native  home,  and  makes  it  an  object  of  culti¬ 
vation,  it  is  often  found  that  it  becomes  attacked  by  pests,  and 
more  often  to  such  an  extent  that  they  kill  the  plants  or  destroy 
thei"  commercial  value,  and  the  same  argument  will  hold  good 
with  insects;  make  them  an  object  of  cultivation,  and  it  will 
soon  be  found  that  they,  like  plants,  are  subject  to  the  attacks 
of  other  forms  of  insects.  Take  the  honey-bee,  for  exampTe  ;  it 
has  several  ins<^ct  enemies.  Were  it  not  for  the  natural  checks 
upon  insects,  it  is  doubtful  if  man  could  exist  upon  this  earth, 
the  fecundity  of  these  little  creatures  beinp;  so  enormous  they 
would  in  a  short  space  of  time  raze  the  vegetation  from  the  face 
of  the  earth. 
The  insect  pests  that  the  farmers  of  Westeim  Au.stralia  have 
