l8 9*-1 Botanical Papers at the A. A. A. S. 



259 



ing the plants into Polypetalae, Gamopetala^, Apetalae, and 

 fcndogens, it was found that of polypetalous forms there 

 were 21 species, 7 of which were Leguminosae; of gamopetal- 

 ous 24 species, 12 of which were Composite; of apetalous 10 

 species, 6 being Euphorbiaceae, and of endogens 13 species, 



12 bsing Grarnineae. Twenty-nine of the species have been 



reported from Mexico and forty-nine from Lower California. 



Uses of the fermentation tube in bacteriology: THEOBALD 

 hMITH. — The object of the paper was to call attention to the 

 value of the fermentation tube in the differentiation of closely 

 allied species or varieties of bacteria, in the preliminary study 

 of gas production and in the cultivation of anaerobic forms. 

 It was also shown to be very useful in the class room in dem- 

 onstrating the very active metabolism of bacteria as indicated 

 by the rapidity of gas production. 



Botanical field work of the Botanical Division: GEORGE 

 Vasey. — This paper gave an account of the field work or bot- 

 anical explorations which are being conducted by the Botan- 

 ical Division of the Department of Agriculture. The sketch 

 included an account of the work in Texas, with a list of new 

 pedes; the bulletin of the Texas Flora; the work in Arizona 

 and in Mexico, with an account of some species of special in- 

 terest; the Death Valley Expedition; the special investiga- 

 tions in Cactaceae; the explorations in Indian territory, N. E. 

 Minnesota and Wisconsin, and in Florida. 



^Results from recent investigations in pear blight : M. B. 



Pear blight is a disease which works only in meristem- 

 atic tissue. . After explaining twig and blossom blight and 

 detailing methods of study the writer gave some of the char- 

 acteristics of the germ blight. It is a motile bacillus. The 

 blight bacteria grow in the nectar and multiply there as sap- 

 rophytes and then enter the tissues. The bacillus of blight 

 "1 the nectar is carried from flower to flower by insects visit- 

 tag the flowers for pollen and honey. An artificial epidemic 

 of p-ar blight was started by infecting a few trees on the edge 

 °f an orchard and allowing free access of insects. Protecting 

 the flowers from visits of insects will protect from blight. 



In addition to the above papers, the four following were 

 presented, by appointment at the Indianapolis meeting, under 

 the general title of Plant Physiology. 



