The Microscope. 133 



that time the choice products of investigations during the past 



year. 



Each year shows more plainly the importance of having 



the papers which may be read, so prepared that they may be 



left with the Secretary at the close of the meeting, and that the 



publication of the proceedings shall not be delayed by revisions 



of manuscript, or for the preparation of drawings. 



Members are warmly urged to make such use of the blank 

 forms of applications for membership enclosed, as will bring to 

 us as many as possible of those who should be identified with 

 the Society, and increase, while sharing, the advantages of its 

 association. Please notice that the By Laws forbid any action 

 by the Executive Committee upon a nomination, until after the 

 entrance fee ($3.00) and the first annual dues ($2.00) are paid. 



Titles and abstracts of papers should be sent as soon as 

 practicable to the Secretary, Prof. D. S. Kellicott, Ph. D., 119 

 Fourteenth Street, Buffalo, N. Y.; and all who intend to be 

 present, or to join the Society, are requested also to notify 

 him or the Local Committee, Cleveland, O. 



HAS THE NUMBER OF BACTERIA NO LIMIT? 



C H. STOWELL. 



MR. J. D. Beck, of Liberty, Pa., sends a communication to 

 this journal on the above subject. From it we take the 

 following figures as computed by him : Mr. Beck finds a large 

 number of bacteria in the sap from the sugar maple, " at least 

 500 in the field at one time." He estimates from this that there 

 are 125,000,000 in a drop of the sap, and in a common goblet 

 full, holding 3,000 drops, as many as 375,000,000,000. He fur- 

 ther estimates that in the 500 gallons of sap boiled down by 

 some farmers in a single day there are as many as 3,000,000,- 

 000,000,000. Thus he proceeds; but while it is remembered 

 that any slight variation in the number first chosen makes a 

 vast difference at last in the sum total, it is doubtful if any 

 value can be attached to such figures, more than would come 

 from the mental drill in computing the various amounts. It is 

 of the same value that arises from computing the number of 

 cod-fish there would be at the present time, if all the eggs 

 should become fish, starting with a single fish only ten years 



