June  5,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
497 
Pceony  Qiieen  Alexandra  (Kelway  &  Son). — A  l)eautiful  and  very 
large,  pure  white  variety.  Award  of  Merit. 
Papaver  orientale  var.  A.  Clnllery  {W.  J.  Godfrey). — A  large 
salmon-pink  variety.  Award  of  Mei-it. 
Phaleenopsis  Sandcriana,  Wigan’s  var.  (Sir  F.  Wigan). — A  large 
flowered  and  deep  mauve  coloured  form.  First  Class  Certificate. 
Phyllocactics  Emita  (Veitch  and  Sons,  Ltd.). — An  exquisitely 
beautiful  deep  rosy  carmine  variety  of  good  size.  Award  of  Merit. 
Polys  achya  pubescens  (Sir  T.  Lawrence). — A  tiny  yellow  fioAvered 
species.  Botanical  Certificate. 
Polystachya  zainbesiaca  (Sir  T.  Lawrence). — Inconspicuous  greenish 
flowers.  Botanical  Certificate. 
Primula imperialis  (Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.). — Deep  yellow  flowers  in 
vertieles.  Award  of  Merit. 
Thalictrum  orientale  (A.  Perry). — A  showy  plant,  with  larger 
inflorescences  (Avhite)  than  are  usually  seen.  Award  of  Merit. 
Tricopila  laxa  (Sir  Trevor  Lawrence). — Floavers  tea  coloured,  small 
and  not  shoAvy  ;  in  long  racemes.  Botanical  Certificate. 
Tricopila  rostrata  (Sir  T.  LaAvrence). — The  large  lip  is  Avhite ; 
other  segments  long  and  gi’egn.  AAvard  of  Mei-it. 
Tulip,  Pride  of  Haarlem  (Barr  and  Sons). — One  of  the  largest 
DarAvin  varieties,  coloured  deep  crimson  cerise.  AAvard  of  Merit. 
Zygopetaluni  rostratum  (Sir  T.  LaAvrenee,  Bart.). — A  Cultural  Com¬ 
mendation  and  F.C.C.  Avas  accorded  for  a  pan  of  this  Avith  large 
floAvers  (Avhite  lip)  and  robust  groAvth.  First  Class  Certificate. 
Royal  Horiicultaral— Scienlifle  Committee,  May  20tli. 
Present;  Dr.  M.  C.  Cooke  (in  the  chair);  Messrs.  Hooper, 
Worsdell,  Saunders,  Shea.  BoAvles,  Douglas,  Worsley,  Gordon, 
ElAves,  Chapman,  and,  Hpinies,  Prof.  Boulger,  Rev.  W.  Wilks, 
and  Rev.  G.  Henslow,  hon.  sec.  Visitor,  Prof.  Percival, 
S.E.  Ag.  Col.,  Wye. 
Beech  and  Bose  diseased  ■—'Mr .  Saunders  reported  as  folloAvs 
upon  the  specimens  sent  to  the  last  meeting :  “  As  to  the  scale 
insects  from  Mr.  Gregory.  They  are  Cryptococcus  fagi.  The 
scale  on  the  Rose  is  probably  Aspidiotus  ostraeformis — I  say 
probably,  because  there  is  another  species  so  closely  resembling 
it  that  without  boiling  the  little  insect  from  under  the  scale  in 
liquor  potassa?,  staining,  and  othenvise  preparing  it  for  examina¬ 
tion  under  the  microscope,  so  that  certain  parts  of  its  anatomy  can 
be  clearly  seen,  it  is  impossible  to  be  quite  certain.  The 
Aspidiotus  and  Cryptococcus,  though  both  belonging  to  the  same 
family,  the  coccidae,  are  verj^  different  insects,  the  former  being 
a  true  scale  insect,  the  other  being  nearly  allied  to  the  mealy 
bugs.  I  should  recommend  that  all  the  shoots  of  the  Rose  that 
are  attacked  should  be  cut  off  and  burnt,  and  the  rest  dressed  or 
sprayed  Avith  paraffin  emulsion.  The  Beech  bark  should  be 
scrubbed  Avith  the  same  preparation,  or  Avith  ^Ib  of  softsoap  dis¬ 
solved  in  a  gallon  of  Avater.  It  is  better  to  boil  the  softsoap  in  a 
quart  of  water  before  adding  it  to  rest  of  the  Ai-ater.” 
Melon  leaves,  decayed.— Mr.  Purnell  Purnell  brought  Melon 
leave-  and  Avished  to  know  Avhat  the  disease  Avas  tlaey  were 
suffering  from,  and  Avhether  he  should  pull  the  plants  up  and 
burn  them.  He  also  said  it  Avas  spreading  rapidly,  and  he  was 
afraid  it  miglit  extend  to  other  plants  in  the  same  house,  as  well 
as  to  his  Cucumbers.  Dr.  Cooke  reported  upon  them  as  follows; 
i  “  I  have  examined  carefully  the  Melon  leaves  sent  me.  They  are 
certainly  not  affected  Avith  the  neAv  Melon  disease,  nor  can  I  find 
any  trace  of  mj^celium  in  the  tissues,  or  the  least  evidence  of 
fungus  attack.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  mishap  is  due  co  some 
external  cause,  like  a  sudden  chill,  and  that  there  is  nothing  to 
be  found  Avhich  is  capable  of  infecting  other  plants.  In  so  far  as 
the  leaves  sent  to  me  are  concerned,  I  find  no  evidence  of  internal 
disease,  and  cannot  recommend  the  destruction  of  the  plants, 
only  their  complete  isolation  may  be  prudent,  so  as  to  prevent 
communication  AAith  other  Melon  or  Cucumber  frames.  Close 
attention  may  reveal  the  cause,  but  I  cannot  see  why  it  should 
spread  so  rapidly.  As  a  precaution  I  should  pick  off  and  burn 
diseased  leaves;  but,  if  it  is  really  a  disease  of  internal  origin, 
although  it  does  not  at  all  resemble  the  bacteriosis  of  cucurbits, 
the  microscope  fails  to  detect  any  mycelium  or  spores  in  the 
tissues,  Avhich  confirms  me  that  it  is  not  an  organic  disease.  I 
shall  be  interested  to  know  if  any  discovery  is  made  from  ex¬ 
ternal  surroundings,  but  as  these  are  unknown  to  me,  I  cannot 
offer  any  suggestions.” 
Potato  tuber  disease  (Fusarium  solani,  Mart.). — Dr,  Cooke 
also  contributed  the  following :  “  A  circumstance  has  occurred 
within  the  past  feAv  days  Avhich  convinces  me  that  we  have  a  dis¬ 
ease  to  contend  with  in  stored  Potatoes  Avhich  has  not  hitherto 
been  estimated  at  its  true  value.  Not  long  since,  some  tubers 
were  sent  to  the  Committee,  Avhich,  AA’hen  cut,  shoAved  black 
blotches,  and  at  the  time  I  Avas  inclined  to  think  they  might  be 
caused  by  the  ordinary'  Potato  mildeAV  running  down  the  stems 
into  the  tubers,  but  the  microscope  failed  to  give  satisfaction, 
and  the  inference  remained  in  doubt.  Since  that  time  tubers 
have  been  sent,  Avhich,  when  cut,  exhibited  the  same  blackened 
blotches.  In  one  instance  this  Avas  supplemented  by  a  great 
number  of  convex  pinkish  pustules  on  the  outside  of  the  tubers, 
mixed  Avith  tufts  of  Avhite  mould.  These  pusjfules  were  the 
external  manifestations  of  a  compact  pink  mould,  Avhich  has  long 
been  knoAvn  to  develop  itself  upon  Potato  tubers,  but  the  general 
impression  has  been  that  it  Avas  only  a  saprophyte,  which 
flourished  upon  spots  already  decayed.  Mr.  Worthington  Smith 
intimated  in  1884  that  Fusisporium  solani,  as  it  was  then  called, 
was  ‘  not  peculiar  to  decaying  Potatoes,’  but  Avas  a  veritable 
disea.se  of  stored  Potatoes,  and  of  this  there  can  be  no  longer  any 
doubt.  The  black  internal  blotches  at  length  becon;*;  permeated 
by  mycelium,  which  produce  the  characteristic  conidia  wherever 
they  reach  the  external  air.  The  pustules  are  about  the  size  of 
a  split  hemp  seed,  and  sometimes  larger,  with  a  tendency  to  form 
rings,  or  at  least  to  groAv  in  company,  of  a  rather  compact  sub- 
.‘itanc’e,  of  a  pale  pinkish  colour,  often  mixed  with  tufts  of  white 
floccose  mould.  The  conidia  are  profuse,  of  a  spindle  shape, 
curved,  and  narroAAed  towards  each  end,  divided  transversely  by 
thr3e  septa  into  four  cells  (40—60  by  7  8a).  When  mature 
Temple  Show  :  Lord  Aldenham’s  Collection  of  Vegetables.  (Pec  page  492). 
