22 



A History of Botany, 1860-1900 



logical side of botany was the new science of vegetable 

 pathology. The study of disease itself was largely asso- 

 ciated with researches upon the Fungi, but towards the 

 end of the century it went further and occupied itself with 

 questions of remedy, prevention, and immunity. This 

 latter aspect, however, was still in its infancy at the end 

 of the century. 



The recognition of the association of disease with parasitic 

 infection by bacteria or by true fungi spread very widely 

 between 1860 and 1900. The study of bacteria in the 

 widest sense, mainly under the inspiration of Pasteur, 

 became elevated to the rank of a separate science, and 

 under the name of Bacteriology soon developed its own 

 periodical and permanent literature. Laboratories were 

 founded for its pursuit, and teaching and research were 

 very widely extended. The separation of the study of 

 these organisms from other plants, and the organization 

 of the new science removes it, however, from detailed 

 consideration here. 



The new science reacted to a very important extent 

 upon the older studies, and new methods of research 

 followed. The practice of cultivating organisms in fluid 

 or gelatinous media, a modification of Sachs' water-culture 

 of the higher plants, came into general use, and by its aid 

 the life-histories of many forms of both lower and higher 

 fungi were unravelled. 



The study of anatomy was, perhaps, the branch most 

 generally pursued at the beginning of the period under re- 

 view. The work of Hofmeister and of Unger had stimulated 

 investigation in this field, and the new theories of Naegeli 

 had excited great attention to the scope which anatomical 

 research afforded. Almost immediately, we had the very 

 important contribution of Sanio to the knowledge of the 

 stem, followed by many memoirs from other pens, which 

 we shall consider in their place. The direction of research 



