136 HISTORY AND CAUSE OF THE COCONUT BUD-KOT. 



go a long way toward proving the relation of Bacillus coli to the 

 disease. 



Material from each of these three inoculations was secured, rinsed 

 in mercuric chlorid, then in water, and finally pieces of it transferred 

 by means of sterile knives and forceps to tubes containing Dolt's 

 synthetic medium. These tubes were taken to Washington and 

 there plated out. It was found, by the usual method of isolation 

 described on other pages, that in the case of each of the inoculations, 

 Bacillus coli, the same organism that was injected was present in 

 great numbers, although in no case were pure cultures obtained. 

 The results of these inoculations by themselves are rather unsatis- 

 factory, but taken together with the earlier results they afford good 

 evidence as to the relation of Bacillus coli to the disease. 



Experiment No. 6. 



Ten inoculations into coconut seedlings were made with Bacillus 

 coli (Theobald Smith XIV) on October 14 in the greenhouse at 

 Washington. Examined on November 10 they showed the following 

 conditions : 



Six of the inoculations showed only a slight browning of the tissues 

 about the hole and some water-soaked areas, but no rot nor dis- 

 coloration of the sheaths. 



Two inoculations showed a good bro\\Ti rot for a short distance 

 about the hole and brown staining for a distance of about 3 centi- 

 meters above the hole. 



One showed a typical soft wet rot 3 centimeters long and a brown 

 stain 5 centimeters above the hole. 



One showed splendid brown soft rot for a distance of 12 centimeters 

 in middle leaves. Outer leaves were well water-soaked and rotted for 

 a distance of 2 centimeters all around inoculation hole, even on the 

 outside sheaths. 



No isolations were attempted from any of this series of inoculations. 



BACILLUS COLI, THE CAUSE OF BUD-ROT. 



Cultures of true Bacillus coli have produced infections in the heart 

 tissue of the coconut crown similar to those infections caused by the 

 coconut organisms. Isolations from the Bacillus coli inoculations 

 and from the coconut organism inoculations have shown cultures 

 identical in nearly every particular. From the early coconut inocu- 

 lations, isolations, reinoculations, and reisolations (described on 

 pp. 43-46) the cultures which were obtained have appeared identical 

 in most cases. When difference has existed, it has usually been a 

 matter of degree rather than of kind. 



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