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September  10,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORriCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Societies. 
Royal  Horticultural,  September  1st. 
The  following  Chinese'  species  of  Vitis.  each  an  ornamental 
climber,  were  staged  by  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Chelsea  :  — 
V.  armata. — -This  is  as  vigorous  in  growth  as  V.  Coignetiee, 
and  has  broadly  ovate  entire  leaves,  the  petioles  and  main  stems 
being  abundantly  studded  with  riearly  erect  spines.  A  handsome 
and  showy  species.  Award  of  Merit. 
r.  mefiaphj/tla. — This  is  a  species  with  much  compounded 
leaves,  reminding  one  more  of  a  Koelreuteria  than  of  a  Vine. 
The  green  leaf  with  reddish  petiole  measures  about  16in  long. 
From  Central  China.  Award  of  Merit. 
fb  T.hnmsnni. — A  remarkable  and,  attractive  species.  ^The 
leaves  are  five-lobed,  of  a  reddish  shade  on  the  upper  surface, ’and 
a  distinct  violet-purple  on  the  reverse  side.  They  are  supported 
on  short  stalks  about  Sin  long.  By  means  of  tendrils  the  stems 
and  branches  readily  obtain  support.  From  every  point  of  view 
this  is  a  valuable  climber.  First-class  Certificate. 
C.  f.exunsa  WiJsoni. — A  slender-growing  variety  with  ovate, 
acuminate  leaves  2^in  to  Sin  across.  Award  of  Merit. 
V.  sinensis. — This  Vine  has  the  peculiarity  of  producing  simple 
cordate  leaves  and  three  or  five  parted  leaves  on  the  same  plant. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  to  be  a  variable  species,  yet  not  the  less 
beautiful  on  this  account.  It  is  tall  and  vigorous,  abundantly 
furnished  with  foliage.  Award  of  Merit. 
R.H.S.  Scientific  Committee,  September  1st. 
Present;  Dr.  Cooke,  V.M.H.  (in  the  chair);  and  seven 
inembeTs. 
Hippeastrum  species. — Col.  Tillotson  sent  flowers  of  a  plant 
sent  from  South  America.  The  petals  were  of  a  pale  clear 
green,  passing  into  primrose,  the  stamens  and  pistils  bright  pink, 
and  protruding  far  beyond  the  petals,  which  were  almost  closed 
at  the  apex  of  the  flower.  Though  not  very  attractive  in  colour, 
it  was  thought  it  might  be  useful  to  breed  from,  on  account  of 
the  great  sub.stance  of  the  petals. 
Itaspherry,  JVineberry,  Blackberry  Hybrids. — Mr.  H.  Peerman 
sent  .specimens  of  the  foliage  (the  fruits  had  fallen  off,  and  could 
not  be  identified)  of  three  hybrids.  Blackberry  x  Raspberry, 
Raspberry  x  Wineberry,  Wineberry  x  Raspberry.  They  were 
considered  most  interesting,  and  he  was  requested  to  send  again 
next  year,  each  in  a  separate  box,  with  both  fruit  and  foliage. 
Bud  Furinatio)i. — Mr.  J.  Robson  sent  “a  section  from  a 
young  Sycamore  exhibiting  the  extraordinary  facility  with  which 
this  tree  develops  wood  buds  from  the  alburnum.”  The  tree  had 
been  budded  on  the  bare  space  between  two  leaves,  and  the  bud 
had  failed,  but  from  the  base  of  the  incision  the  stock  had  sent 
out  a  growth  “  where  no  eye  previously  existed.  I  have  twenty- 
five  or  more  examples  of  the  .same  thing  in  Sycamores,  but  though 
I  have  budded  many  subjects  I  have  never  noticed  the  same 
thing  in  any  other  genus.” 
Hippeastrum  Blistered. — Dr.  Bonavia  sent  some  leaves  of 
Hippeastrum  “covered  with  .something  that  looks  like  scale,  but 
which  adheres  so  closely  to  the  epidermis  that  it  is  difficult  to 
remove.”  The  scale-like  blotches,  on  examination,  proved  to  be 
not  of  insect  formation  at  all,  but  blisters  due  probably  to  defec¬ 
tive  root-action,  itself  due  to  a  check  of  some  sort,  such  as  cold 
or  too  much  wet. 
Cryptocuccus  on  Weymouth  Bine. — Mr.  R.  Knight-Bruce  sent 
a  specimen  of  bark  literally  swarming  with  the  white  woolly  or 
waxy  Cryptococcus  which  attacks  Pines,  and  which,  he  says,  is 
rapidly  spreading,  and  killing  plantations  of  the  Weymouth  Pine. 
The  Committee  considers  the  case  almost  hopeless,  but  suggested 
spraying  the  trees  with  a  paraffin  emulsion.  Mr.  Wilks  said  he 
had  but  little  hope  in  spraying  Cryptococcus,  as,  unless  the 
sprayer  was  peculiarly  strong  and  powerful,  the  fluid  would  not 
jjenetrate  the  downy  wax  with  which  the  insect  covers  itself  over. 
He  had  known  a  case  of  a  Beech  tree  being  saved  by  hand 
scrubbing  with  a  brush,  using  softsoap  and  paraffin  emulsion; 
but  he  had  never  known  spraying  to  be  successful. 
Discoloured  Vine  Leaves. — These  were  received  from  Mr. 
Neild,  of  Holmes  Chapel.  Dr.  Cooke  reports: — “Vine  leaves 
with  broad  irregular  patches  of  bright  coloration  have  been 
known  and  observed  for  the  past  half  century.  Sometimes  the 
colour  is  yellow,  or  becoming  brown,  and  sometimes  reddish,  or 
claret  colour.  In  America  it  is  known  as  the  California  Vine 
disease  (see  U.S.A.  ‘  Reports  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,’ 
XX.,  1892).  This,  or  a  .similar  disease,  is  known  in  Sicily  as 
‘  Folletage,’  and  in  Italy  as  ‘Mai  Xero.’  No  satisfactory  reason 
lias  yet  been  as.signed  for  this  affection,  as  no  trace  of  fungi  has 
been  found,  and  there  is  no  cause  to  suspect  that  fungi  of  any 
kind  have  anything  to  do  with  the  discoloration.  Leaves  are 
constantly  being  submitted  to  the  Scientific  Committee  for  re¬ 
port  as  to  the  cause  or  remedy,  but  none  can  be  given.” 
Floriferous  Siveet  Bea. — Mr.  Hunt  sent  a  flower-stalk  of 
Sweet  Pea  having  .seven  fine  blossoms. 
Brnliferous  Helenium. — The  Rev.  C.  Wolley-Dod,  V.M.H. , 
sent  flower  heads  of  this,  remarking  that  one  particular  plant  in 
his  garden  always  produces  them  :  and  that,  as  a  rule,  small 
secondary  flowers  grow  out  of  the  disc. 
Cam  panuJa  lactiflora .  linear-leaf  ed . — -The  Rev.  Wolley-Dod 
sent  a  curious  “  abnormal  ”  form  of  C.  lactiflora,  which  comes  in 
s.  .(•  .s. 
Spray  of  Ixia.  (See  page  248.) 
small  percentage  from  the  seed  of  the  typical  form,  perhaps  one 
in  200.  The  linear  leaves  can  be  recognised  early  in  the  seedling 
stage',  and  I  never  saw  intermediate  form.s.  Analogous  forms 
with  stellate  flowers  are  not  uncommon  in.  Campanula  rotundi- 
folia,  and  De  Candolle  in  his  “  Monograph  of  Campanula”  figures 
