Campbell, A., Station Agent, Burntisland Croall, Alexander, Smith Institute, Stirling 10 Dunn, Chas., 42 Triangle, Bristo Evans, William, Scottish Widows' Fund, St Gray, Peter, 35 Jeffries Road, Clapham Howie, Charles, Eden Cottage, Largo 15 Kerr, Andrew, Taxidermist, Montrose Laing, J., Nursery man, Foresthill, London Matheson, Adam, Jedburgh 20 Morris, George, Chester Mudd, William, A.L.S., Botanic Garden, Munro, Robertson, Abercorn Nursery, Pamplin, William, A.L.S., Llanderfel, Peach, Charles W., A.L.S., 30 Haddington 25 Robinson, James F., Frodsham, Cheshire Scott, John, Patna, Bankipore, Bengal Societies and Universities to which the Society's Transactions are sent. Amsterdam, Royal Institution of Holland Belfast Naturalists' Field Club Berlin, the Botanical Society Berne, Society of Swiss Naturalists Boston (U.S.), Society of Natural History Brussels, Botanical Society of Belgium Edinburgh, Advocates' Library Edinburgh, Scottish Arboricultural Society Edinburgh, Government Library, Royal Botanic Edinburgh, Royal Society Edinburgh, Royal Medical Society Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Society of Arts Florence, Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiana, Giessen, Natural History Society Glasgow, Natural History Society (Anderson's Glasgow, Philosophical Society Haarlem, Musée Teyler Harvard, University Library Königsberg Physico-Economical Society Leeds, Naturalists' Club and Scientific Assoc. Copies are also sent to the British and Foreign Honorary Fellows of the Society. PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY. SESSION XLIII Thursday, 14th November 1878.—Dr T. A. G. BALFOUR, President, occupied the Chair, and delivered an Opening Address. On the motion of Dr Cleghorn a vote of thanks was given to the President for his address. The following Communication was read Notes on the Mycelium of Fungi attacking the Roots of Young Scotch Firs. By Mr C. S. FRANCE, Penicuik. At the late excursion of the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland to Penicuik, I brought this matter under their notice, and showed the spot to which I referred. Most of the members present were of opinion, on examining the roots of the Scotch firs in question, that they were evidently suffering from the attacks of the mycelium of fungi on their roots. Several opinions were expressed as to the cause of this, from the fact that the appearance of death seemed to be confined solely to a few square yards of ground in the centre of one of the nursery plots while Scotch fir in the same bed surrounding this particular spot seemed to be quite healthy. Since that time I have taken the trouble to try and sift out this matter a little further. It having been suggested that the cause of PROC. BOT. Soc. 1878-79. h this development of mycelium on this particular place might arise from some old stump or decayed timber having been buried in the ground, and thereby given rise to this cryptogamic emanation, I caused the ground to be dug over to a certain depth to see if anything like decayed timber of any kind was buried there. I, however, found that nothing of that kind existed, but after going down to a depth of about 18 inches I came upon a peculiar kind of soft rock, in all respects like yellow ochre (a specimen of which I now exhibit); and, after cutting through this for a short distance (it being comparatively thin), I came upon the same indication of the outcrop of coal. One thing observable in digging was, that the roots of some of the Scotch firs had come in contact with disintegrated pieces of this ochery stone. Wherever I found this to be the case, the spongiols were dead and in a semi-decayed condition. The question naturally suggested itself to me, has this rock, underlying this particular spot, anything to do with the unhealthy condition of the plants? I then pulled up some plants in the neighbouring bed, which seemed to be perfectly healthy and thriving. On looking at their roots I found mycelium upon them, although not so largely distributed; and, while in the unhealthy plants I found the spongiols which were more particularly affected by the mycelium completely decayed and dead, on the healthy and more flourishing plants the roots were not affected in the same way, and showed signs of perfect vitality. Having further made an inspection of the mycelium on these plants by the aid of the microscope, I found encased in a bunch of this mycelium the larvæ of some insect, and in further following this up, I came upon a fully-developed specimen of a mealy bug or coccus: what particular variety it was I am not prepared to say. But, in size and general appearance, it seemed to me to be identical with that coccus which in some parts of the country causes so much damage to silver firs. That a coccus should be found some inches below the surface of the ground, preying upon roots, is to me rather a surprising thing, and I shall be glad if any gentleman can give his opinion upon this subject, and say whether or not it is of common occurrence. My impression of the whole question is, judging from all the circumstances, that the mycelium of fungi may develop itself upon the roots of plants under certain conditions, without direct injury thereto; but that a want of vitality in plants arising from another cause may encourage the greater development of cryptogamic life, and thereby ultimately accelerate decay and death. Referring to the examples before me, I have a strong impression that the unhealthy state of the Scotch fir plants on this particular spot, arose first, from some pernicious chemical constituent in the soil, which was not so much felt in the ground where the plants were healthy, and by that means induced unhealthiness on the one part and thereby produced a condition of the plants highly favourable to the development of the mycelium of fungi. I lay specimens of both the healthy and unhealthy Scotch fir on the table. MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 1. Mr Sadler read a letter received by Professor Balfour from the India Office in London, stating that a collection of specimens of Indian woods had been recently sent home, which the Government of India had requested should be presented to the Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh. The collection consisted of 147 pieces, which had been forwarded to the Botanic Garden. The President suggested that a special museum should be erected in the Botanic Garden for the reception and proper display of this and the other collections for which no room could at present be found. Mr Sadler said that the Scottish Arboricultural Society had very valuable collections of woods grown in Scottish forests, cones, and other forest produce, as well as specimens of the rocks on which various species of trees grew best, but the specimens at present were packed in boxes and placed in a dark room for want of museum accommodation at the Botanic Garden. Such a museum, with the existing nucleus of collections of home and foreign woods and cones, would be very valuable, especially in connection with the proposed school of forestry and the new Arboretum. 2. Mr Sadler exhibited specimens of the Castor-oil plant in good foliage and flower, which had been grown in the open air by the Rev. Mr Herdman, Blairgowrie. The seeds were taken from a cargo of wheat imported direct from Culcutta. 3. Dr Paterson, Bridge of Allan, exhibited a branch of Osmanthus ilicifolius, in fine flower, from his garden there. 4. Mr A. Stephen Wilson, North Kinmundy, exhibited and presented to the Museum at the Botanic Garden, beautiful prepared specimens of ergotised grasses, representing fourteen genera and twenty-one species. Thursday, 12th December 1878.-Dr T. A. G. Balfour. The following Office-Bearers for 1878-79 were elected: PRESIDENT. THOMAS ALEXANDER GOLDIE BALFOUR, M.D., F.R.S. E., F.R.C.P. E. |