and Laboratory Methods. 1267 



cism. He has experimented with several species of animals, and has studied, in 

 all, thirty-five different individuals. His conclusion is emphatic and decided. 

 In eighty per cent, of the organs studied, positive evidence has been found of 

 the presence of micro-organisms in the normal tissue of the healthy individual. 

 Seventy-seven per cent, were demonstrated by growth in culture media, and the 

 other cases only by the microscopic presence of bacteria in the organ. He 

 found that each species of animal showed its own peculiar bacteriology ; that 

 each animal showed a distinct bacteriology ; that the different organs showed 

 the same bacteria on different media, although different culture media furnished 

 a variety of species. The bacteria found were ordinary species, including 

 staphylococci, bacilli, and proteus forms. h. w. c. 



Wakker. Wakker's Hyacinth Germ Pseudo- Dr. Erwin F. Smith's paper on Wak- 

 monas hyacinthi (Wakker). Bull. Div. of , , tt • ,i /-. • . i 



Plant Phys. and Path. U. S. Dept. of Agri. ^er s Hyacmth Germ IS a noteworthy 



26: 45.pl- I- contribution towards abetter knowledge 



of the parasitic bacterial diseases of plants. The paper, though ready for publi- 

 cation in 1897, has been withheld till now to learn why such meager growth was 

 obtained on the host plant. The Pseudomonas hyacinthi (Wakker) (E. F. Smith) 

 is a yellow rod-shaped organism, non-sporiferous, color distinctly yellow but 

 somewhat variable ; old cultures on some media darken from the production of a 

 soluble pale-brown pigment. This color was not observed in acid or alkaline 

 beef broth, on cocoanut flesh, on sugar beets, in nutrient starch jelly, in agar, or 

 in gelatin with or without sugar. The organism is pathogenic to hyacinths. 

 The host plant is not rapidly destroyed, the cells first separate by solution of the 

 middle lamella. The cavities contain large numbers of bacteria. It is closely 

 related to Ps. campestris, parasitic or cruciferous plants, B. phaseoli on beans^ 

 Ps. stewartii parasitic on corn, especially sweet corn. The daughter bulbs con- 

 tract the disease from mother bulbs. The bulbs may sometime contract the 

 disease from germs lodged in the flowers. A more extended contribution has 

 been promised. The paper is one well worthy of copying as a model for this 

 kind of work. L. H. Pammel. 



Jones. Soft Rot on Carrot and Other Vege- This paper deals with a soft rot of 

 tables. Bacillus carotovorus (Jones). Rep. ^^^rot found in Vermont. The orga- 

 Vt. Agri. Exp. Sta. 13: 200-3-52, fie. 11. . „ .,, , /t n 



x\\%\Xi Bacillus carotovorus {)Qn^'&)c-3X\'S,&% 



a rapid soft rot of carrots which resembles Heinz's white rot of hyacinths and 

 Potter's white rot of turnip. It causes the rapid disorganization of the tissues 

 apparently due to an enzyme cytase, excreted by the bacteria, which softens the 

 middle lamellae of the cell walls and causes a breaking down of the intercellular 

 substance. Wound infections led to decay in a large number of plants such 

 as the carrot, parsnip, salsify, cabbage head, etc. The organism producing 

 this disease is a bacillus having vibratory motion, oscillating or darting in young 

 liquid cultures. The rod is provided with two to five peripheral flagella. The 

 author suggests that we have a considerable number of groups of closely related 

 organisms whose differentiation will tax the skill and patience of the bacterio- 

 logist as much as the B. coli group. The organism was grown in a large number 

 of different media. Of interest is the fact that its action reduces nitrates. This 

 paper is likewise a model of its kind, especially in regard to the thoroughness 

 of testing the organism in different media while studying its biological and 

 pathological characters. L. H. Pammel. 



