It appears that if the experiment is very carefully performed, 

 and the possibility of Bacteria contamination guarded against, if 

 the infusion is boiled long enough, and further, if the temperature 

 be raised some degrees above 212° Fahrenheit, then in all cases 

 the tubes containing the infusion are barren of results. 



With regard to another statement made by Dr. Bastian, in his 

 work on " The Beginnings of Life," that transmutation of species 

 often takes place amongst the lower forms of life, and that the 

 same kind of spores will at one time produce a plant, and at an- 

 other an animal, further investigation seems to entirely negative 

 that view. 



Professor Smith and Mr.'Archer, of Dublin, who have made the 

 study of the microscope algcs. a speciality of their lives, have 

 written a paper which has been published in the " Quarterly 

 Journal of Microscopic Science," 1873, the tenor of which is 

 utterly opposed to Dr. Bastian's doctrine of Heterogenesis. 



These gentlemen go so far as to state that the asserted " facts 

 of transmutation are not facts." 



Upon the whole I am disposed to think that, if " abiogenesis " 

 takes place in the present condition of the earth, it has yet to be 

 proved. 



It may occur to many of you that it matters little practically 

 whether abiogenesis and heterogenesis are true or false ; I shall 

 not pause to discuss this fi'om a cui bono point of view, but at 

 once admit there is much to be said in favor of economic science, 

 without, however, disparaging the value of abstract science. 



I was myself trained by a deep thinking economist, who held 

 that knowledge was of no value unless it ministered in some way 

 to the advantage of the human race. 



Entertaining as I do the most profound respect for the teach- 

 ing of my deceased friend, I propose to show the value of econo- 

 mic science by a few illustrations, and more particularly that 

 branch to which I have paid most attention, viz : Economic En- 

 tomology. 



In the study of Natural Science generally, one is often struck 

 with the pains taken by authors to demonstrate that two closely 

 allied, perhaps very small, species are distinct, and this applies 

 equally to the Animal and Vegetable world. 



The careless observer is often disposed to consider such minute 

 investigations as useless, particularly when carried on by the aid 



