294 Recognition in America 



in Wisconsin, Russell began a study of several years which finally 

 culminated in his bulletin 65, "A Bacterial Rot of Cabbage and 

 Allied Plants," published in 1898 by the Wisconsin Agricultural 

 Experimental Station. In this he and Harding described the or- 

 ganism and its morphological, physiological, and cultural charac- 

 ters,^^ their experimental research, and their conclusions as to the 

 disease, its sources of infection, treatment, etc. 



We shall consider Smith's researches on " Pseudomonas carri- 

 pestris (Pammel)" later. He evidently began his work after 

 Russell and Pammel had each started theirs. Samples of diseased 

 leaves were sent at about the same time by the same man to both 

 Smith and Russell; ^* and Smith published his paper ^^ on the 

 subject before Russell's and Harding's bulletin appeared. He 

 believed this his right. As his laboratory investigations of bac- 

 terial plant diseases went forward, he studied the new diseases 

 called to his attention and restudied and verified the work of 

 others. For instance, he " verified most of the statements of T. J. 

 Burrill, J. C. Arthur, Merton B. Waite and others, respecting 

 Bacillus amylovorus (Burrill) Trevisan, the cause of fire blight 

 of apples, pears, quinces and other pome fruits." *° As to his 

 study of Bacterium campestre (Pammel) Smith said: " Pammel's 

 work on turnips was extended to cabbages, cauliflowers, kale, rape, 

 mustard, etc., with many additions and much field, laboratory and 

 hothouse work." He proved infection through the plant's water- 

 pores and described the causal organism of black rot of crucifers.^^ 

 Director S. M. Tracy of the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment 

 Station suggested that he work out the life history of the organism, 

 Bacillus solanacearum,^" the cause of a disease in tomato, egg- 

 plant, and Irish potato, and differing from Bacillus tracheiphilus.*^ 



" Wis. Bull. 65: 10 ff., Feb. 1898. 



^® Idem, 11. Dr. Davis's letter, hereafter quoted, to Smith was dated September 30, 

 1896. In a research memorandum of September 19, 1896, Smith set forth another 

 and earlier letter from Dr. Davis dated September 16. 



*" Erwin F. Smith, Pseudomonas campestris (Pammel). The cause of a brown rot 

 in cruciferous plants, Centralbl. f. Bakt. II, Abt. 3 (11/12): 284-291, July 7, 1897; 

 (15/16): 408-415, Aug. 8; (17/18): 478-486, Sept. 10. 



'"' Synopsis of researches, op. cit., 41 f. 



" Idem, 27. 



*" Erwin F. Smith, A bacterial disease of the tomato, eggplant, and Irish potato, 

 U. S. D. A. Div. Veg. Phys. and Path. Bull. 12: 5 (note 1), 6, 9, 22-23, 25, Dec. 19, 

 1896. At pp. 10-19, description and study of organism. 



*'' Bull. 12, op. cit., 25. See also Garden and Forest, Jan. 1897 (review). 



