May  16,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
421 
just  below  the  spore.’  It  can  only  be  added  that  the  name  given  to 
the  fungus  causing  the  tumour  is  that  of  CEdomyces  leproides.  Its 
relations  are  to  a  certain  degree  with  the  Ustilagines,  or  smuts,  but 
open  to  further  investigation.  It  is  impossible  in  the  absence  of  fruit 
of  any  kind  to  affirm  that  the  tumour  under  notice  is  the  same  as  the 
Algerian  specimens,  although  it  seems  probable.  The  production  of 
spores  may  have  been  arrested  by  the  climatic  conditions,  which  are  so 
different  from  what  they  would  be  in  North  Africa.  The  blackened 
spots  and  the  plentiful  mycelium  would  indicate  the  work  of  a  fungus 
pest.  An  opportunity  presenting  itself,  I  submitted  the  affected  Beet¬ 
root  to  Mr.  Massee,  and  he  was  equally  interested  with  myself  in  its 
examination,  and  together  we  consulted  the  authorities  who  had  written 
on  the  subject,  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  very  probable  that 
our  tumour  was  the  same  as  the  Algerian  one,  but  only  in  its  initial 
stage,  assuming  that  it  required  a  higher  temperature  for  its  full 
development.  His  microscopical  examination  confirmed  my  own,  that 
there  was  a  profuse  mycelium  present,  and  that  doubtless  the  tumour 
was  the  result  of  fungal  parasitism. 
“The  other  object  alluded  to,  as  exhibited,  was  the  young  twigs  and 
green  leaves  of  Schinus  molle.  The  leaves  proved  to  be  perfectly 
sound  and  healthy,  but  attached  to  the  twigs  we  found  five  or  six  small 
discoid  fleshy  bodies,  about  2  millimetres  in  diameter,  attached,  like  a 
button,  by  a  small  central  shank.  These  excrescences  were  whitish  at 
the  circumference,  roseate,  and  rather  corrugated  towards  the  centre. 
In  substance  they  were  soft  and  fleshy,  easily  cut  with  a  penknife,  and 
apparently  solid.  Under  the  microscope  the  cell  structure  was  found 
to  be  that  of  the  host  plant,  and  there  were  no  traces  of  mycelium. 
All  the  evidence  seemed  to  indicate  that  these  bodies  were  a  kind  of 
gall  produced  by  the  plant  in  consequence  of  some  such  irritation  as 
that  caused  by  the  puncture  of  an  insect.  Unfortunately  we  could 
find  no  trace  of  egg,  larva,  or  insect,  but  it  is  in  that  direction  we 
believe  further  investigation  should  be  directed,  and  the  plant  should 
be  watched  for  further  developments.  In  both  instances,  therefore, 
we  were  only  partially  successful;  and  shall  at  any  time  be  glad  to 
examine  either  in  a  more  advanced  stage,  when,  doubtless,  we  shall 
have  to  relegate  the  latter  to  the  entomologist.”  A  unanimous  vote  of 
thanks  was  accorded  to  Dr.  Cooke  for  his  interesting  and  valuable 
report. 
Daffodils,  monstrous. — Rev.  W.  Wilks  showed  a  specimen  of  what 
ought  to  have  been  a  large  trumpet  Daffodil,  but  the  Deduncle  bore  two 
flowers,  of  nearly  the  ordinary  size  of  the  wild  Daffodil,  instead  of  a 
single  and  large  blossom.  There  was  no  fasciation.  It  was  interesting 
as  a  reversion  to  the  form  and  size  of  the  Daffodil,  in  consequence  of 
there  being  two  flowers  in  place  of  one.  Mr.  W.  Logan,  of  Hither 
Green,  Lewisham,  sent  specimens  which  had  the  corona  split  up  into 
segments,  and  more  or  less  crested.  One  half  of  the  trumpet  was 
elongated,  the  other  half  abbreviated,  possibly  indicating  a  double 
parentage  of  N.  poeticus  with  the  Daffodil.  In  another  case  the  leaf 
was  sheathed,  as  occurs  in  Grasses  ;  the  flower  had  five  perianth  leaves, 
five  stamens,  and  two  carpels,  due  to  a  partial  arrest  of  growth  on  one 
side  of  the  flower. 
Ferns,  crested. — Mr.  Druery  corrected  an  error  in  the  last  report,  in 
that  the  Ferns  he  described  were  often  crested  to  the  third  or  fourth 
degree,  but  not  fasciated.  Mr.  Henslow  observed  that  Mr.  Druery  was 
perfectly  correct.  The  term  “  fasciation”  was  only  applied  by  Linnaeus 
to  stems,  but  as  it  is  correlated  with  a  continual  branching  of  the 
fibro-vasoular  cords,  Mr.  Henslow  classed  it  with  several  other 
phenomena  of  foliar  organs,  which  are  associated  with  a  similar 
repeated  chorisis  of  the  cords,  as,  e.g.,  in  crested  sepals  of  the  Rose,  of 
the  petals  of  Cyclamen,  &c. ;  and  Mr.  Druery  added  the  crested  apices 
of  Ferns,  in  none  of  which  is  there  any  necessary  fasciation  whatever. 
Dr.  Masters  criticised  Mr.  Henslow’s  statement,  which  laid  stress  on 
the  development  of  the  fibro-vascular  cords,  as  the  cellular  tissue 
precedes  their  formation.  But  this  was  a  necessary  featnre,  as  the 
fibro-vascular  cords  could  not  exist  unless  they  were  clothed  with 
parenchyma.  As,  however,  their  several  branches  ultimately  entered 
the  foliar  organs  of  a  multifold  flower,  he  did  not  think  the  criticism 
had  weight.  In  fact,  the  development  of  cellular  tissue  and  cords  goes 
on  simultaneously,  the  former  continually  providing  the  material 
through  which  the  cords  may  ramify,  and  often  outstripping  them,  as  in 
the  margins  of  crested  petals,  into  which  the  cords  do  not  travel  far 
enough  to  reach  the  actual  margin  itself. 
Violets,  self -fertilising. — Mr.  W.  J.  James,  Woodside,  Farnham  Royal, 
Slough,  sent  seme  white  Violets  (Viola  odorata)  which  produced 
capsules.  As  a  rule  the  purple  Violet  sets  no  seed  in  this  country, 
though  it  does  in  S.  Europe.  On  examination  it  was  found  that  the 
flowers  became  self-fertilising,  because  the  beak-like  extremity  of  the 
style  with  its  stigmatic  orifice  was  not  only  strongly  curved  upwards 
(because  the  flower  is  inverted),  instead  of  being  at  right  angles  with 
the  style,  but  was  completely  included  within  the  connivent 
connectives.  The  connectives  were  all  wrapped  round  the  style, 
preventing  the  escape  of  the  pollen,  which  is  then  caught  by  the 
spoon-like,  two  lowermost  connectives.  The  pollen  falls  directly  on  to 
the  stigmatic  orifice.  The  flower  is  thus  perfectly  adapted  to  secure 
self- fertilisation.  The  plants  are  also  provided  with  the  usual 
cleistogamous  buds.  In  these  there  are  five  minute  petals,  five  anthers 
all  alike  without  tails,  forming  a  star-like  group  upon  the  summit  of 
the  ovary.  The  stigma  is  short,  truncated,  and  concealed  beneath  the 
anthers,  the  pollen  of  which  enters  the  stigma  without  the  anthers 
dehiscing  by  the  tubes  penetrating  them  along  the  lines  of  dehiscence 
in  normal  anthers.  Mr.  Henslow  showed  plants  of  the  N.  American 
species,  V.  cucullata,  &c.,  with  cleistogamous  buds,  apparently  indicating 
the  fact  that  these  had  become  a  specifio  character  before  a  world-wide 
diffusion  of  the  genus  had  taken  place. 
“  Kent  ”  Water  unsuitable  for  plants. — Mr.  E.  Roberts,  F.R.H.S.,  of 
Park  Lodge,  Eltham,  writes  as  follows  : — “Our  water  from  the  Kent 
Waterworks  is  not  at  all  a  fit  food  for  our  plants.  I  am  in  the  habit  of 
treating  it  thus.  I  first  add  1  lb.  caustic  lime  to  1000  gallons  to 
neutralise  the  caloium  carbonate,  and  then  add  6  oz.  amm.  sulph., 
6  oz.  potassic  nitrate,  and  4  oz.  amm.  phosph.  I  shall  be  glad  to 
know  if  this  treatment  can  be  improved  upon,  and  if  it  is  suitable  for 
Orchids  generally,  including  epiphytal.”  Prof.  A.  H  Church,  who 
undertook  to  examine  the  water,  reports  as  follows  : — “  In  reference  to 
Mr.  Roberts’  letter,  I  should  like  to  make  a  few  remarks.  I  have  looked 
up  the  older  analyses  of  this  water,  because  the  official  results  do  not 
now  include  determinations  of  sulphates  and  of  caloium  in  its 
several  salts.  After  adding  the  caustic  lime  (preferably  after  slaking, 
and  in  the  form  of  cream),  the  whole  bulk  of  treated  water  is  (I 
presume)  allowed  to  rest,  that  it  may  deposit  the  separated  carbonate 
of  lime.  Then  to  the  clear  liquid  the  salts  named  should  be  added.  I 
think  the  quantities  named  reasonable.  Anyhow,  the  prepared 
water  is  a  mild  stimulant  and  general  plant  food.  Owing  to  the 
partial  removal  of  the  lime  salts,  it  ought  not  to  spot  the  foliage  with  a 
white  deposit.  I  should  not  like  to  say  anything  as  to  its  peculiar 
suitability  to  Orchids,  terrestrial  or  epiphytic,  but  I  think  its  use  cannot 
be  injurious.” 
Odontoglossum  crispum,  psloric. — Mr.  T.  Rochford  sent  a  specimen 
in  which  the  lateral  petals  were  more  or  less  crested  and  spotted  like 
the  lip. 
Gloxinias. — Specimens  with  internal  catacorolla  and  external  linear 
crests  were  exhibited  by  Mr.  Houston. 
Hymenocallis  sulphurea. — Mr.  Worsdell  showed  this  plant,  being 
Dean  Herbert’s  hybrid. 
Seedling  Lilies  growing  underground. — Mr.  Worsdell  referred  to  this 
subject,  and  added  remarks  upon  the  germination  of  certain 
monocotyledons  without  a  cotyledon.  Mr.  Elwes  said  that  he  had 
observed  how  seeds  of  Mezereon  and  Lily  seeds  remained  a  long  while — 
even  three  years — and  then  germinated.  Cephalanthera  rubra,  he 
observed,  was  said  to  have  germinated  after  some  seventy  years. 
Rev.  C.  Wolley-Dod  remarked,  with  reference  to  this  subjeot : — “  In 
my  garden  the  seed  of  Lilies  often  germinated,  and  the  bulbs  grew  for 
three  or  four  years  without  any  visible  growth  above  ground.  This 
statement  has  been  very  fairly  questioned,  and  it  was  said  that,  it  could 
not  be  admitted  as  a  fact  of  vegetable  physiology  without  minute  and 
particular  details.  I  confess  that  I  have  never  made  oareful  and 
continuous  observations  in  the  matter,  chiefly  because  I  assumed  that 
it  was  generally  known  and  admitted.  The  particular  Lily  about  whioh 
my  impressions  are  very  strong  is  L.  monadelphum.  This  species 
thrives  particularly  well  in  the  heavy,  retentive  soil  of  my  garden.  I 
have  been  in  the  habit  at  any  time  during  the  last  twenty-five  years  of 
taking  a  handful  of  the  seed  of  this  wnen  ripe  and  throwing  it  on  the 
surface  and  raking  it  in  where  there  were  two  or  three  square  yards  of 
untenanted  soil.  At  first  I  used  to  suppose  that  the  seed  perished, 
as  no  growth  appeared  above  ground ;  but  on  digaing  at  the 
end  of  a  year  or  two,  bulbs  were  found  from  the  size  of  a  pea  to  that  of 
a  Hazel  Nut,  but  it  was  not  till  the  third  or  fourth  year  that  above¬ 
ground  growth,  nearly  ready  to  flower,  or  perhaps  with  one  flower 
bud,  appeared.  The  bulbs  had  not  only  increased  in  size,  but  had  dived 
several  inches  beneath  the  surface.  As  it  appears  that  this  habit  is 
doubted  by  competent  botanists,  it  would  be  well  to  have  it  settled  by 
some  observer  more  likely  to  see  the  experiment  through  than  I  am, 
and  I  shall  have  much  pleasure,  next  August,  in  distributing  paokets  of 
seed  to  any  amateurs  who  will  make  the  trial,  and  at  the  end  of  four 
years  announce  the  result  of  their  observations.”  Some  years  ago  the 
question  came  before  the  Scientific  Committee  as  to  the  possibility  of 
fully  developed  bulbs  increasing  in  size  below  the  soil  without  having 
any  external  stem  or  foliage.  It  was  maintained  by  some  growers 
that  such  was  really  the  case. 
Hybrid  Carnations. — Mr.  Douglas  exhibited  flowers  of  Lady  Buxton 
Carnation  x  Sweet  William  (<J)  ;  also  the  latter  x  Uriaa  Pike 
(crimson)  Carnation ;  also  Duchess  of  Fife  (rose)  x  Sweet  Williams. 
They  were  very  intermediate  in  character,  with  no  scent,  but  having 
more  of  the  Sweet  William  foliage,  and  with  flowers  showing  a  tendency 
to  cluster. 
Cattleya  Lawrenceana,  malformed.  —Mr.  O’Brien  showed  a  flower 
devoid  of  a  labellum,  also  C.  Mendeli,  which  often  comes  deformed, 
and  more  or  less  constantly  so,  in  certain  areas.  Mr.  Douglas 
observed  that  he  had  a  plant  with  fifteen  flowers  dimerous  or 
lipless,  &c. 
Crinum  sp. — Mr.  Elwes  exhibited  plants  of  Crinum  whioh  flowered 
after  fifteen  years.  They  came  from  near  Lake  Nyassa,  and  it  was 
doubtful  as  to  their  specifio  differences  from  C.  capense,  as  there  was 
great  variability  from  the  seeds.  C.  crassifolium  (according  to  Dutch 
growers)  appeared  to  be  the  same  as  C.  petiolatum  from  the  Niger, 
remarkable  for  its  globular  bulb,  and  by  continuously  flowering. 
Plants  from  Cambridge  Botanic  Gardens. —  Mr.  Lynch  exhibited  the 
following  interesting  plants : — Dimorphotheca  frutioosa,  only  lately 
introduced  to  Cambridge  from  S.  Afrioa;  Lathraea  clandestina,  with 
