September  2J,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
295 
Tlie  Rojal  Horticultural  Society, 
Scientific  Committee,  Sept.  15tli. 
Present:  ^Ir.  3Iicliael  (in  the  chair);  iMessrs.  Odell,  Chattendeii, 
and  ^\  orsleV;  Professor  Boulger,  Revs.  W.  Wilks  and  Geo.  Henslow, 
hon. sec. 
Silver  leaf  disease. — With  reference  to  the  report  in  the  minutes  of 
the  last  meeting,  Professor  Gant  wrote  as  follows:  “  I  notice  in  this 
morning’s  ‘Gardeners’  Clironicle,’  p.  196,  a  slight  error.  It  is  this, 
‘  Silver  leaf  was  due  to  a  lack  of  nitrogen  in  the  soil.’  It  should  have 
been  ‘presence  of  too  much.’  I  was  quoting  Dr.  Massee.  Mr.  Bland, 
the  OAvner  of  the  fruit  trees  affected,  before  he  wrote  to  me,  sent  some 
leaves  to  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  avIio  sent  them  on  to  Dr.  Massee. 
The  folloAving  is  a  copy  of  the  report :  ‘  Copy  A.  3350. — Diseased  Plum 
trees.— The  disease  is  generally  known  as  silver  leaf,  and  has  been 
proA'ed  to  be  due  to  the  presence  of  too  much  nitrogenous  food  in  the 
soil.  Abstain  from  using  farmyard  or  organic  manure  of  any  kind, 
and  sow  rape  or  some  quickly  growing  crop  under  the  trees.  Remove 
the  crop  when  fully  grown.’”  Much  hesitation 
was  shown  by  the  Committee  in  accepting  this 
conclusion,  as  Portugal  Ijaurels  growing  in  poor, 
gravelly  soil  have  been  known  to  be  badly  affected, 
as  much  as  garden  fruit  trees. 
Asparagus  diseased.  —  Herr  Otto  Froebc  1, 
Zurich  V.,  sent  the  following  communication,  Avith 
specimens  :  “Dear  Sir, — Permit  me  to  send  yoiA 
to-day  by  post  a  monstrosity  I  observed  since 
last  year  on  my  old  plant  of  Asparagus  retro- 
fractus.  We  call  such  form  ‘  Hexenbesen,’  Avhieh 
means  ‘  Witch’s  broom.’  They  are  often  observed 
on  different  hardy  plants,  on  Conifers,  trees,  and 
shrubs.  HoAvever,  I  have  never  observed  this 
anomaly  on  any  one  of  my  various  species  of 
Asparagus,  and  I  hope  it  Avill  be  interesting  to 
the  readers  of  the  Journal  of  the  Il.H.S.  if  you 
Avill  bring  this  notice.”  Mr.  Michael  undertook 
to  examine  the  specimen.  “  I  intend  to  send  you 
next  spring  a  floAvering  branch  of  the  quite  ncAV 
Forsythia  europsea,  Deegen  and  Baldacci,  intro¬ 
duced  by  seeds  in  1899  from  Albania.  I  should 
feel  much  satisfied  if  I  could  send  first  floAvering 
branches  of  this  new  shi-ub,  very  hardy  in  my 
country,  and  if  this  novelty  could  be  figured 
in  your  very  fine  and  ahvays  most  interesting 
Joiu’iml.” 
Chimonantlius,  abnormal  foliage.  — 'Mv.  Odell 
shoAved  branches  bearing  normal  as  Avell  as 
bifurcated  leaves,  arising  from  a  separation  of 
the  fibro-A'aseular  bundles  of  the  midrib,  at 
various  distances  from  the  base.  In  some  it  com¬ 
menced  even  in  the  short  petiole. 
Eelicorm  in  Agrostis. — Mr.  Chattenden  shoAved 
examples  of  the  unusual  position  of  eelworms  in 
the  inflorescence  of  this  grass. 
Ceoma  in  Campamda. — He  also  shoAved  ex¬ 
amples  of  this  fungus  in  C.  rapuncu’oides,  as  aa'bII 
as  an  apparently  new  species  of  fungus  attacking 
the  sepals  of  Clematis. 
Draccena  with  aerial  root. — He  also  exhibited 
a  stem  Avhich  had  been  ringed  producing  a 
doAViiAvard  gi’OAving  “  toe,”  or  adventitious  root, 
upAvards  of  a  foot  above  the  ground. 
Heticliera,  floriferens. — Mr.  Wilks  received  a 
plant  in  foliage,  on  every  leaf  of  Avhich  a  folia- 
eeous  budAA'as  developed  at  the  base  of  the  blade 
on  the  upper  end  of  the  petiole.  There  appeared 
to  be  no  account  of  such  being  a  normal  condi¬ 
tion. 
Figs,  drying  and  falling. — Mr.  Worsley  drOAV 
attention  to  the  fact  that  certain  Figs  frequently 
ceased  to  mature  after  a  certain  time,  then  dried 
up  and  fell  off.  The  general  opinion  Avas  that 
ncurishment  Avas  diverted  by  some  cause  or 
another,  as  the  Avinter  Figs  ahvays  fall  off  a.s 
scon  as  fo  iage  appears  in  this  country. 
- «««»«» - 
Narcissus  incomparabilis  Gloria  Mundi. 
By  the  kindness  of  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sens  avo 
a  -e  able  to  give  an  illusti  alien  on  th's  j  a;  e  of  a 
tloAver.  almost  natural  size,  of  tliis  gem  of 
Daffodils.  We  AA’ould  class  this  as  one  of  the 
best  half  dozen,  choosing  from  the  Avhole  tribe  of 
Narcissi.  Barri  ccnspicuus.  stella  superba.  and 
(Uoria  Mundi  are  an  unsurpassed  trio.  The 
corona  is  gloAving  orange-red.  and  the  perianth 
is  a  SAvcct  soit  vcIIoav. 
Hardy  Flowers  at  Edinburgh  Show, 
^  As  a  supplement  to  the  excellent  report  giA'cn  by  your  repre- 
,  .sentative  at  the  Royal  Caledonian  Society’s  SIioav  on  September  9 
and  10  a  few  special  notes  on  the  hardy  tiowi-rs  exhibited  may  be 
.serviceable  to  the  many  growers  of  hardy  flowers  in  the  kingdom. 
It  may  be  .said,  by  Avay  of  preface,  that  the  hardy  herbaceous 
I  floAvers  Avere,  as  a  Avhole,  very  good,  but  that  there  Avas  a  very 
I  small  representation  of  neAv  or  rare  plants,  apart,  of  course,  from 
1  the  numerous  varieties  of  florist.s’  floAvers,  aa  Inch  can  hardly  be 
I  dealt  Avith  noAv,  so  numerou.s  are  the  iieAver  Phloxes,  Pent.stemons, 
I  Gladioli,  and  Carnatioins  on  exhibition.  These  Avere,  as  a  Avhole, 
admirable,  and  the  Pentstemons  Avere  exceedingly  fine,  presentin 
a  great  contrast  to  the  small,  narrow  floAvers  Avhich  often  found 
place  in  prize  stands  of  our  early  days. 
Gladioli  Avere  superb,  but  the  most  of  these  are  purely  florist.s’ 
floAvers,  and  cannot  receive  notice,  .saA'e,  perhaps,  the  fine  colour 
of  the  purple-blue  floAvers  of  the  Lemoinei  variety  Baron  J.  Hulot 
iLirr  (in.l  .S’"  s 
Narcissus  incomparabilis  Gloria  Mundi. 
tc  ce 
