[page 842]

—A correspondent forwarded to us recently an interesting "sport" of the flowers of Eccremocarpus scaber. The limb of the corolla in these specimens was deeply divided into five equal oblong segments, alternating with which were five stamens of equal length. In some of the flowers only four perfect stamens were present, with a rudiment of a fifth. The other parts of the flower did not deviate from their ordinary condition. We have here, therefore, an instance of regular Peloria, in conjunction with a more complete separation of the petals than is usual.

—In an interesting: paper lately published by De Bary in the Monatsberichts der K. Akad. der Wissenschafts, Berlin, the author asserts that Æcidium berberidis can be produced by sowing the sporidia of Puccinia graminis on the leaves of Berberis vulgaris. If this observation should be confirmed, it will go far

[Annotation by Darwin:] Gard Chron 1865 p. 842

[page 841]

The others are merely interesting in a morphological point of view, and are very important to the systematist, but the last arises from the attack of a Fungus which is closely allied to that which is so often brought home from New Zealand on caterpillars, and which is utterly destructive of the crop, and most probably the infected specimens are unwholesome.

The last point mentioned, the agency of Fungi in the production of disease, is one on which we are frequently called to make observations. There is a question agitated at the present moment, which is of considerable importance, namely, whether the Fungus of the Savine has any relation o the Rœstelia which is often so destructive amongst Pear trees. The question is just like that