58 
was precisely similar in its effects and had asimilar origin to that which 
produced diphtheria in the human being. He also contended that 
the method of housing potatoes contributed to the propagation of the 
disease. The potaoes were put into clamps, or damp cellars, where 
they became covered with botrytis, and were taken thence and planted 
with some of the conditions necessary for reproducing the disease. 
The germs being planted with the tuber, often in the form named rest- 
ing spores, it was quite certain that in thundery weather, with heat 
and moisture, they would develop, but if care were taken to destroy 
the germs as in the dressing of corn, there would be less chance 
of potato blight. Last year he addressed some letters on the 
subject to the Times, and this year he had had a great deal of 
correspondence on the same subject. Some persons had written to 
say that they had followed his advice, and had had no blight. 
Others had not been so successful, but in those instances there 
could be no doubt that the remedy had not been properly applied. 
He felt fully satisfied that potato blight could be reduced 
to a minimum by proper treatment. In conclusion, Dr. Carpenter 
said that a study of fungus life might help forward some of those 
questions now disturbing the scientific world, and be also the means 
of raising their society in its position amongst other societies of the 
kingdom, if the members could solve some of the disputed points 
by special attention to apparently minor matters, but really matters 
_ which were at the base of all true knowledge. 
Mr. Berney said he had not gone deeply into the nature of 
fungi, but he knew something of dry rot. It was likely to be 
_ oceasioned if timber were felled in the spring instead of the autumn, 
___ because in the spring it was full of sap, while in the autumn it could 
be obtained free from sap. Unless floors were thoroughly venti- 
lated, they were quite certain to be affected by the dry rot, and 
ventilation in the centre was not sufficient to remove it, for there 
would still bea stagnant atmosphere. He stated, however, that the 
application of sulphate of copper to timber would destroy the dry 
rot, and get rid of the fungus altogether. 
_ Myr. Purry exhibited some pieces of wood in which dry rot had 
established itself, and showed that whenever there was a damp 
4 material on one side, and a waterproof material on the other, dry 
rot was sure to be produced. He illustrated this by a piece of coal 
box into which damp tea leaves had been thrown, and which had a 
polished external surface. He also referred to the practice of 
placing oilcloth in servants’ apartments in the basements as likely to 
injure the structure of houses. 
Mr. Martin referred to the fact that the potato disease ex- 
hibited itself differently on light and heavy lands; that in some 
E 
