509 



j>arent cellulose, in wliicli the starcli-grauuleis grow ; b represents such 

 a cell. These cells contain 30 to 40 starch-granules. C represents a 

 broken cell from which the starch is seen as if in the act of leaving; s 

 represents a portion of a broken cell; p, preci{)itate(l starcli. 



On receiving some diseased potatoes from Mr. B. P. Ware, of Swamp- 

 scott, Massachusetts, under date Novc'ml)er 1st ultimo, I commenced a sc- 

 ries of experiments on them, Pj^^ 2^ ■ 

 having in view the detection of "* 

 the rModeofaction of the fungus 

 on the nitrogenous matter of 

 the potato and other considera- 

 tions. 1 arranged live vessels 

 as follows: into No. 1 put a 

 solution of sulphate of copper : 

 into No. 2, a dilute solution of 

 sulphite of soda; into No. 3, 

 the milk of caui^tio lime in ex- 

 cess ; into No. 4, a very dilute 

 solution of carbolic acid in wa- 

 ter ; into No. 5, pure water. I 

 placed in each solution half of 

 a diseased potato. The follow- 

 ing will show the action and 

 results after six dnys' satura- 

 tion. The potato in No. 1 solu- 

 tion was found to be perfectly 

 preserved and deodorized, so 

 that it could he sliced into sections, and preserved for future use. No. 2 

 solution failed to preserve, deodorize, or prevent the destructive action 

 of the mycelium ot fungus, contrary to expectation. No. 3 destroyed the 

 odor on application, but in t\A0 days the lime became completely carbon- 

 ated, forming a mass of chalk, when the offensive odor appeared again, 

 and decomposition of the nitn genous cell went on as if lime had not been 

 present, and infusorial life, in the form of bactari, appeared in great 

 numbers. No. 4 specimen was Pj„, o^ 

 preserved completely. In o- - • 

 No. 5 specimen decompo- 

 sition seenied to have been 

 slightly retarded at first, but 

 the decomposition on the third 

 day was in full action, and the 

 odor became very often si ve be- 

 fore the sixth day. When a 

 portion of No. 3 was placed on 

 a microscopic slide, and secured 

 by means of a glass disk, and 

 viewed under a power of about 

 75 diameters, masses of starch- 

 grains appeared in cellulose 

 cells all over the field, resem- 

 bling d, Fig, 5. A reference to 

 Fig. 6 F will show the position 

 of those cells o, d, t. They are 

 held in position in the potato 

 by the nitrogenous cell t, which 

 is held in turn by an outer and ianer cellnlouse cell, «, d. 



When a sound 



