340 Chief of a Laboratory of Plant Pathology 



in Germany also published a paper on the bacterial soft rot of 

 vegetables.'" Another important event of 1902 was Zimmermann's 

 find of bacteria in the leaf nodules of Rubiaceae in the East 

 Indies/' 



With the advent of the twentieth century, the literature of plant 

 pathology was growing abundant and extensive bibliographies 

 accompanied important articles and publications. Annually the 

 Department of Agriculture in its Yearbooks published lists of 

 plant diseases throughout the nation. Not often, at least not with 

 the frequency of later years, did the phrase " bacterial diseases of 

 plants " appear in literature. During 1898-1899 American path- 

 ologists and bacteriologists were still discussing details of proof 

 and priorities of discovery of several organisms in plant diseases 

 believed caused by bacteria. Smith encountered many of the 

 rivalries and disagreements while preparing his critical reviews 

 of bacterial diseases of plants for the American Naturalist. Such 

 severe charges as that he was attempting to preempt the field, 

 that he regarded his opinions as " apparently final," that his atti- 

 tude toward other workers was ungenerous, influenced him finally 

 to relinquish these articles in favor of preparing over many years 

 his three volume Bacteria in Relation to Plant Diseases (1905- 

 1914). The Botanical Gazette in February 1893 had invited " a 

 summarization of the present status of the subject," even without 

 the aid of critical laboratory study. Miquel and Cambier in their 

 large treatise on bacteriology (1902) complained that the mono- 

 graphy of the subject as to plant diseases had " regrettable la- 

 cunae " and that many of the species would have to be restudied 

 completely.'® One prominent American plant scientist, encouraging 

 Smith to continue with " what he [wanted] to and not confine 

 his work to some narrow province," urged, " We should all hail 

 with delight good work." He saw no reason why a "" board of 

 enquiry " should be necessary in plant pathology and bacteriology. 

 The circumstances argued the need of a great laboratory of plant 

 pathology in the federal Department of Agriculture. 



Smith, in his studies, enlisted the aid of plant and animal path- 



^* Beitrag zur Kenntnis der bakteriellen Wundfaulnis der Kulturpflanzen, Landw. 

 Jahrb., 31: 155, Berlin, 1902. 



^~ Fifty years of pathology, op. cit., 28. 



*^ Preface, Bacteria in relation to plant diseases, op. cit., 1: iii. 



