STATE HORTICDLTURAL SOCIETY. 129 



It is supposed to contain as many varieties as the visible kingdon 

 that grows from the soil and possesses as many different qualities. 

 It produces spores or seeds so rapidly that no numbers can express 

 them. 



The air and water contain millions of these spores or germs to 

 the square inch ; every plant and tree is covered with them. 

 Thousands are taken in at every breath, and as many more are 

 taken into the stomach and intestines every time we swallow. The 

 mouth of every animal is literally full of them. The scientific world 

 are at present, and have been for years, studying the nature of those 

 germs. Several have been minutely described and named, and also 

 what disease they are supposed to produce. One specie known as 

 micrococci is supposed by some to produce diphtheria. An other 

 specie Bacillus tuberculosis are very numerous in consumption. 

 Microbe of hydrophobia is supposed to produce that disease. The 

 germ Bacterium is supposed to produce the blight on fruit trees 

 and others the rust on wheat, and so on. Those germs have never 

 been known to attack healthy tissue, but are found in endless 

 numbers on sores, ulcers, putrid flesh in all diseased or dead 

 matter. If it was the nature of those germs to subsist on healthy 

 plants and vegetables and healthy animal life, no living visible 

 thing could exist. It is only on sick or dead matter that they 

 multiply and subsist. 



Now when we apply a specie of those germs as the cause of 

 blight, the evidence is very strong that they are the direct cause. 

 The moment the bark bursts and the sap oozes out, it is filled with 

 millions of those spores, and the virus at once poisons the sap, 

 and death ensues as far as the poison sap extends. 



Cutting off the blighted portions of the tree is of no benefit un- 

 less the wound is at once saturated with carbolic acid, or made 

 air-tight with some kind of wax. 



Mr. Gideon. Mr. President, while this subject of blight is 

 before the Society I will add one more paper to these already read. 



The President. Very well, we will also hear Mr. Gideon's paper 

 before proceeding with the discussion. 



Mr. Gideon then read his paper: 



BLIGHT, ITS CAUSE AND CURE. 



1 wish you a happy and prosperous meeting, and that great good 

 may come of it, by your developing facts, that the light will so 

 shine that the world may see and embrace the truth, until igno- 



