80 WILSON & TOOMICU FKKT1LI/KU COMPANY 



Bacteria are tiny one-celled ])lants and multiply by 

 divisions instead of by a "fruiting" or a "vegetative" proc- 

 ess. While the spores of a fungus represent the seeds 

 of a plant or perhaps a mass of "slips" in a strong pro- 

 tecting case, the bacterium has but one spore, and that 

 is itself, with snch covering- as to make it practically 

 unaffected by uncongenial surroundings, but sensitive 1 

 to a favorable condition upon the arrival of which it 

 "springs to life" and multiplies with incredible rapidity. 



The "resting" spores of both fnngi and bacteria are 

 often longlived. They remain longer in land allowed to 

 "lie out" than in that worked and planted to crops not 

 favorable for their development. But often when we 

 think the land is lying out to eradicate some insect or 

 disease trouble it is growing weeds to help develop the 

 trouble we are wishing to overcome. There is no reason 

 why land should be allowed to lie out. It can rest just 

 as well by raising a suitable crop and with far more 

 profit to its owner. 



But besides the attacks of fungi and bacteria there 

 are diseases which are physiological, troubles brought on 

 by uncongenial surroundings, either in soil, moisture 

 supply, temperature, wrong fertilization or ill-advised 

 cultivation or several of these factors combined. These 

 diseases are the least understood and there is perhaps 

 no more promising field for the scientist than in their 

 study. Plants have an individuality and those of the 

 same kind vary as to their sensitiveness to surroundings. 

 The well-developed seed from a vigorous plant produces 



