XXVI. Proceedings of the Society. 



which, in both cases, is known under the denomination of 

 chlorosis. 



» Under such an impression, they prescribed the use of tonic 

 preparations of iron, either as a means of improving the soil. 

 or to be poured in a liquid form on the cane itself. 



» This remedy was practised in certain places and tried in 

 others, and the result was a dark black colour which the leaves 

 of the plant assumed shortly after the use of the remedy in 

 question. 



> This pheoomeDon is explained by the probable presence of 

 Tannin in the soil in which the diseased canes grew, which 

 combining with the sulphate of iron which bad been used, had 

 formed ink which bad been absorbed by the plant. They were 

 therefore obliged to give up these so-called remedres. 



» Others again, fancied they saw in this unnatural state of the 

 cane a degeneracy of the plant. 



> Indeed it is well known that, for a considerable lapse of 

 time, it has been propagated by cuttings, and regularly blos- 

 soms without producing seeds, the simple and natural means 

 of reproduction in the greater proportion of plants. 



* This opinion, which seemed to be that of a great number of 

 persons, was justly refuted in the Report of the Commission, 



< Degeneration, it says, would probably have gone on in a 

 t progressive and regular course, and would not have appeared 



> simultaneously on all the plantations in the same country, 



> or even two or several countries, as Mauritius and Bourbon, 

 !> into which the first plants were introduced at periods distant 

 9 from each other, t 



» On the other hand, the recent observations made in Europe 

 by Liebig on the disease in the potatoes, and those no less curious 

 and interesting of the celebrated physiologist Hales in the last 

 century, and republished by Liebig, corroborate the opinion 

 that there is in the actual case no degeneration in the plant ; 



