knew a case in which a whole field became diseased in three days. He believed the only remedy was mowing down the haulm of the potato the moment it was attacked.-Prof. L. PLAYFAIR was certain of one thing, and that was, that the disease was not due to fungi. The nature of it was evident, as it could be produced artificially. If you scraped a potato and placed it in the open air it became diseased;— and, in the course of a few hours, the fungi would appear on it.—Mr. E. SOLLY believed that the disease depended on chemical changes, not on the attack of the fungus.-Mr. BUSH had examined the diseased potatoes under the microscope, and in its early stages had always failed to discover the slightest indication of the existence of a fungus. As the disease advances, first one fungus appears, and then another, and at last animal life. This was the progress of all vegetative decay. The disease always commences on the outside of the potato, and proceeds to the centre. He had always found the disease constantly attended with the development of crystals of oxalate of lime.-Prof. BALFOUR stated that some fungi attacked living and healthy structures,-others only diseased ones. The fungus of the potato was a Botrytis which he believed attacked healthy structures.— Mr. A. STRICKLAND said, in reference to Dr. Buckland's recommendation to mow down the potatoes, that, when his neighbours mowed down their potatoes, he dug his up. They had lost nearly all theirs, whilst he had saved nearly all his.-Dr. LANKESTER observed on the want of evidence to support the theories of either cause or remedies that had been brought forward. Cold and heat had been assigned as causes, by destroying the tissues of the potato; but no destroyed tissues had been shown to exist. Debility had also been supposed to exist; but no proof was given of the existence of debility;-and the Dean of Westminster himself had admitted that he had seen the healthiest potatoes destroyed in three days. Positive observation was evidently opposed to the fungus theory. As to the remedies recommended, seedlings had been known to be attacked in more cases than they had escaped; and, therefore, sowing the seeds could not be recommended. Mowing down the stalks had not been more successful than letting them alone;-and it ought now to be known, that this Meeting had done nothing more valuable than to show the insufficiency of all theories and remedies hitherto advanced."

Alas! then, how little has it done!

On the Leaves of Phyllanthus and Xylophylla.

"A paper was read by Dr. LANKESTER, from Mr. B. CLARKE, 'On the Foliage and Infloresence of the genera Phyllanthus and Xylophylla.' --The leafy appendages from which the flowers in most of the species of these genera spring, have been described by authors in general, up to the present time, as branches. The author, having examined their structure and relations closely, has come to the conclusion that they are in almost all cases true leaves. Several species of the genera Phyllanthus and Xylophylla were described; and the author's views of their structure explained by drawings. In conclusion, he suggested whether the additional leaf-buds, which are sometimes seen in the axils. of leaves, do not originate from the base of the petiole. Such buds occur in the genus Rubus, in some species of which the additional bud is developed beneath the axillary bud instead of one side of it." Report in the Athenæum of the Proceedings of the British Association.

V Autumnal flowering of Trees and Shrubs. By EDWARD NEWMAN.

THE summer which seems at last about to leave us, has been remarkable for unusual abundance of sunshine and unusual deficiency of rain. From the middle of May to the first of August, the fine weather was uninterrupted: on that day occurred the memorable storm of hail and rain, and the weather for ten days continued unsettled, inclining to rain: from that time to the present it has been almost uniformly bright, dry and serene. Whether we are to attribute to these circumstances the facts I am about to mention, I must leave others to decide; they seem worthy of this slight record.

During the last week in August, and nearly throughout September, we have had a second inflorescence on the following trees.

Horse Chesnut. On one tree, a general and healthy bloom accompanied by a general reproduction of young leaves :-maximum, 29th August. Fruit produced.

Plane (Acer pseudoplatanus). On one tree, a general and healthy bloom; on several others a partial bloom:-maximum 31st August. Corchorus or Kerria Japonica. A general and healthy bloom on a great number of trees :-maximum, 2nd September.

Laburnum (Cytisus Laburnum). A very partial but beautiful bloom, on a great number of trees:-maximum, 2nd September. Fruit subsequently produced.

4 N

Pear tree. On one tree a general and healthy bloom :-maximum, 6th September.

Pyrus Japonica. On very many trees a scattered but healthy bloom up to the present time.

Apple tree.

On one tree a general and healthy bloom; on others, a partial bloom :-maximum 10th September.

Elder, (Sambucus niger.) On one tree a general and most beautiful bloom:-maximum, 17th September.

Acacia. (Robinia pseudacacia). On two trees a general and most healthy bloom :-maximum, 11th September.

I do not know whether these two trees had previously flowered during the present year.

In a great number of instances the lime stems have produced a second and abundant covering of leaves; but I have not observed blossoms. In London and its immediate vicinity, the leaves remain on the limes but a very few weeks; in Wellclose Square, I have known the trees entirely stripped before the end of July. In Bishopsgate church-yard they usually remain ten days later.

EDWARD NEwman.

On the occurrence of Juncus diffusus near Hoddesdon, and on its specific distinctness from J. glaucus. By JOHN ANSELL, ESQ. NOT having observed any notice of the Juncus diffusus of Hoppein the 'Phytologist,' since Mr. Backhouse's mention of it in the number for November, 1844, I presume that no one has recently met with it, and that it is still a plant unknown to the generality of British botanists. Perhaps too its having been made a variety of J. glaucus in the 'London Catalogue,' may have prevented so much attention being given to it as it deserves. As I have recently seen it growing in great plenty, and feel satisfied of its distinctness as a species, I wish to draw the attention of your readers to it, that this point may be settled, and something learned of its distribution in Britain.

On Saturday afternoon last, I paid a visit to Hoddesdon, in company with Mr. Coleman of this place. We gathered Salvia verbenaca, Stellaria glauca, Spergula nodosa, Polygonum minus, Mentha sylvestris, Silene noctiflora, &c., in the neighbourhood of Hoddesdon, and were shown Iberis amara, growing with Delphinium consolida and Calendula officinalis, in a corn-field there. In returning to Hertford by way of Goose-green and Mangrove-lane, about sun-set, we diverged into a barren pasture, (about three miles south of Hertford, and

adjoining Broxbourne Wood, on the North), to look at Calamagrostis Epigejos growing in the hedge. Here our attention was caught by a tuft of rushes, which Mr. Coleman at once pronounced to be J. diffusus, being acquainted with the plant by a previous discovery of it near Cole-green, three miles West of Hertford, in the year 1844. Singularly enough we were unable to find any more in the pasture than this one tuft, though it was overrun with other species of Juncus ; but on emerging from this field on to a small scrap of roadside grass called Darman's green (already known to us as one of the numerous stations for Carex axillaris in this county), we were delighted to find that there was as much of J. diffusus as J. glaucus, in the large crop of rushes it produced. I observed that the two plants might be distinguished at a distance of several yards, even by the imperfect light we then had, the sun having now set, by the dark hue which the large black shining capsules gave to the panicle of J. glaucus, those of J. diffusus being of a light brown, and far smaller. In the large series of specimens which we gathered, we found no intermediate forms; but the species were always readily distinguishable by good and constant characters; J. glaucus having constantly a fluted stem with interrupted pith, and an elliptic capsule about equal to the segments of the perianth: while J. diffusus has a smooth stem with continuous pith, and an obovate truncate capsule, shorter than the perianth. In the truncate capsule it approaches nearer to J. effusus and J. conglomeratus: but in these the capsule equals the perianth and is nearly as broad as long, not elongate as in our plant, and the scales at the base of the stem are not, in Juncus diffusus, light-coloured and scarious (as is the case in them), but dark brown and polished as in J. glaucus. I enclose specimens for your satisfaction, and, if you think them worth your acceptance, shall be happy to place in your hands a supply for distribution among your friends and correspondents.

JOHN ANSELL.

P. S. An evening or two since I met with Amaranthus retroflexus, Linn., on waste ground near Hertford; it has also been found by Mr. Wolsey near Sawbridgeworth, and seems as much entitled as some others to a place in our floras. I find also Setaria viridis, and Panicum Crus-galli in the same place.

Hertford, Nurseries,

September 16th, 1846.

On the power of Oxalis Acetosella and Viola canina to produce fertile Seed without apparent inflorescence. By H. DEANE, ESQ.*

It is now about five years since I had a glass case made wherein to grow a few hardy ferns, after the manner proposed by Mr. Ward, and in which I discovered the curious fact lately mentioned to you respecting the fertilization of the seed of Oxalis Acetosella, without the slightest appearance of inflorescence, and I will now endeavour to give you a correct history of the facts as observed, that in case you should think them worth recording in your Phytologist you may do so. Having planted my ferns in small pots, they were arranged in the case, and intermediate spaces carefully and lightly filled in with some moss obtained from a neighbouring nurseryman. Moss was also placed over the mould in the pots, to keep it moist and to protect the young ferns. In the course of a few weeks many plants began to spring forth from the moss, and among them a few of Oxalis Acetosella. As with me the wood-sorrel has ever been a favourite plant, I allowed them to grow. The first year they did not flower, but in the following spring they did, but without that peculiar character which adds so much to the beauty of the plant in its natural state, viz., the redness of the stalks, and the delicate striated appearance of the petals. At first I doubted its identity with my old favourite, but thought seedpods would soon decide the matter. Alas! before the pods had time to mature, the flower-stalks broke down with dropsical decay, and my hopes were gone for that season. However the plants grew vigorously, and numerous seedlings had from the early spring made their appearance, so there was no fear of the stock being lost. I watched my plants almost daily through the summer, and from the day that the last flower fell to the ground, many buds reared their heads above the foliage, and at length fell dropsical and abortive, as I thought, without an attempt at expansion. Thus the second year passed away.

In the mean time I was much puzzled and surprised at the number of seedling plants, that continued to rise in all directions.

The third year, as my ferns did not make satisfactory progress, the pots were removed, the greater part of the Oxalis thrown away, and the moss shaken up and mixed with a little garden mould, in which bed the ferns were planted mostly without the pots. The old rhizomes of the Oxalis that escaped destruction, soon made new plants, and numerous seedlings also sprang up, so that I began to

In a letter addressed to E. NEWMAN.