388 Misstwi State Uorticulttiral Society. 



several yards away from all other sorts. On the opi^osite side of 

 the garden, the Manchester runs close up to the Sharpless. No 

 perceptible difference in appearance and size was noticed here, I 

 have had for three years jjast ten to twenty-five varieties, some in 

 single beds contiguous to other sorts, and some in beds thirty feet 

 wide. No difference was noticed in the fruit in the middle of 

 large beds from that on the edges, where, if this theory be true, 

 fertilization by other sorts would be more sensibly felt. Doubtino-. 

 or i-ather rejecting, tliis theory, I am almost ready to doubt the 

 commonly accepted one that a pistilate berry cannot be fruitful 

 without a stamiiiate close by. It would be interesting and bene- 

 ficial to call out the experience of those who have experimented in 

 this matter.— /. J. Foote, Vif/o Co.. Inch 



A SUPPLE JIEISTTARY PAPER UPON ANTISEPTICS, GERMICIDES AND 



BAOTERIACIDES. 



The object of this additional paper is to l^eep the mind direct- 

 ed to the bacterian hypothesis of disease, as previously suggested in 

 the Gardener's Monthly, and linked with pear blight and peach 

 yellows. Witkthis recognition iu view, I will proceed with a retro- 

 spective glance upon a limited number only of long-known and still 

 highly-prized remedies, and which the present generation of invest- 

 igators consider reliable agents, either as antiseptics, germicides or 

 bacteriacides. Originally it was my intention to have presented a 

 tabulated form of many experiments made by the most renowned 

 men engaged in these valuable researches ; this, however, would 

 have taken up too much of your valuable space, so I will substitute 

 it with concise comparisons of the remedies before us, as most wor- 

 thy of special notice and consideration. 



As I am a thorough believer in the prevention of disease, rather 

 than the alternative of allowing disease to "set in" and become 

 uncontrollable, I will first proceed to mention carbolic acid as being 

 probably for many reasons, and in many cases, the ne plus ultra 

 remedy as an antiseptic, and very useful as a germicide and bac- 

 teriacide. Antiseptics as such are known by their action in de- 

 stroying all sources of decay and decomposition and preventing the 

 formation of germs without acting iipon the mineral or vegetable 

 matters present, and their value depends upon their power to jjrevent 

 the multiplication of bacteria, though this is not necessarily con- 

 nected with germicide potency ; for some re-agents which fail to 

 kill micro-organisms are nevertheless valuable antiseptics. Carbolic 

 acid has been prominently before the public for many years as a 



