1105 



ravages could be discovered, — I was induced to employ a solution of 

 pentasulphide of calcium, a solution of which having been found to 

 act in no way injuriously to the young and delicate shoots of several 

 plants, was applied to the juices in a dilute condition ; the object in 

 view being that the compound should be decomposed by carbonic 

 acid, and that the excess of sulphur should be deposited with the car- 

 bonate of lime in a uniform and durable covering on the stems and 

 branches of the vines. This was adopted, and although but few 

 applications were made, the stems became coated with a deposit of 

 sulphur, and the disease gradually but effectually diminished, in so 

 much that the houses are now entirely free from any trace of disease 

 or symptoms of infection. The young shoots are in no way injured 

 by its application, and the older wood covered with this deposit of 

 sulphur continues exceedingly healthy. This was, we believe, the 

 first employment of the higher sulphides of calcium as a vehicle for 

 the application of sulphur to the stems and foliage of diseased vines. 

 Specimens were exhibited from vines which in 1851 were covered 

 with disease, and which have since the autumn of that year received 

 no further treatment. The vines in the immediate neighbourhood, 

 and adjoining one of the houses, are covered with the disease, but, 

 notwithstanding their close proximity, no indication of the disease 

 has at present been detected in either of the three houses." 



Effect of Sulphate Lime upon Vegetable Substances. 



A paper by Chevalier Claussen, ' On the Effect of Sulphate of Lime 

 upon Vegetable Substances,' was read. 



" About six weeks since 1 was engaged in making various experi- 

 ments on the effect of sulphate of lime upon vegetable substances. 

 A portion of the substances then used by me was thrown carelessly 

 aside, and upon returning to my experiments about a fortnight after- 

 wards, I was surprised to find that decomposition had not taken place 

 in those portions of the vegetables which had been subjected to the 

 action of the sulphate, while those which had not been so treated 

 were completely decayed. Among the articles experimented upon 

 were a number of potatoes, each of which was affected by the preva- 

 lent disease ; some of these remain sound to the present day, the 

 others have some time since completely rotted away. Subsequently, 

 I procured some more potatoes, and also some beet-roots, the former 

 being, as far as I could judge, all diseased. I divided the potatoes 

 into three portions. One lot I placed in a vessel with a weak solu- 

 tion of sulphuric acid, and from thence I placed them in a solution of 



