1058 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



cut parts of the plant is described. No part of the plant is free from 

 attack, although the roots are the last to be invaded. The vessels of 

 the diseased wood are often found crowded with short motile bacteria. 

 These organisms are said to be easily isolated, are aerobic, and grow 

 readily on gelatin or in Liebig's bouillon to which glucose is added. 

 The bacteria are slightly larger in cultures than in the diseased tissues, 

 are 1.5 to 2.5 // with an average of about 2 ju in length, are somewhat 

 dumb-bell shaped and are readily stained. 



Inoculations made upon sound shoots readily induced the disease, 

 and where the bacteria were introduced in considerable quantity the 

 diseased condition was quickly recognizable. 



Experiments for the prevention of the disease are reported in which 

 iron sulphate and copper sulphate were compared, and it appeared that 

 washing the vines with a 20 per cent solution of copper sulphate 

 aided in preventing attacks of the disease. 



The relation of this disease to other diseases of the viue which are 

 considered to be of bacterial origin is discussed. 



Description of Bacillus phaseoli, with some remarks on related 

 species, E. F. Smith (Proc. Amef. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 16 (1897), pp. 288- 

 290). — An abstract is given of a paper read by the author at the Detroit 

 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 August, 1897. The organism is described as follows: 



" Bacillus phaseoli, n. sp., a short rod with rounded ends, yellow on various media, 

 motile in early stages of growth, decidedly pathogenic to beans and some related 

 legumes, and closely related to Pseudomonas hyaeinthi and /'. campestris. Its thermal 

 death point is approximately 49 C, and it will not grow in the closed end of fer- 

 mentation tubes in beef broth or peptone water with any of the ordinary sugars. It 

 exerts a powerful diastatic action on potato starch. On bean pods it causes water- 

 soaked spreading spots." 



The organism has been under observation for more than a year and 

 its parasitic nature unquestionably determined. The author presents 

 the points of agreement and difference in tables so as to show the 

 characterization of each of the above organisms. 



Note on a tomato disease, S. A. Beach (New York State Sta. Bui. 

 125, pp. 305, 306, pi. 1). — Descriptive notes are given by F. C. Stewart 

 on a peculiar disease of tomatoes which was first noted in the forcing- 

 houses of the station. The disease has the general characters of the 

 so-called black rot of tomato due to Macrosporium tomato, but exam- 

 ination revealed tbe total absence of fungus hyphse in the tissues in 

 the earlier stages of the disease, and at no time are there abundant 

 bacteria in the diseased fruits. 



In general the disease begins as a slightly depressed circular brown 

 spot, which gradually enlarges, retaining its circular form, until it 

 frequently covers half the surface of the fruit. Most frequently the 

 spot originates at the blossom end, but it may originate at any point on 

 the fruit. The spots are first brown in color, later becoming brownish 



