6 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
inte ligently breed, cultivate and utilize the nation’s important apple 
crop in a more scientific manner than has heretofore been regarded as 
among attainable results. 
The Centrifugal Method of Mechanical Soil Analysis, as minutely 
described and discussed in comparison with other methods in use, has 
interest just now from the claim of certain members of the Association 
of Official Agricultural Chemists that the plan pursued by the Bureau 
of Soils of the Agricultural Department does not yield equivalent re- 
sults to those obtained by the analytic process used at the several Ex- 
periment Stations. No real settlement of the controversy appears im- 
minent; but the Association has appointed a committee ‘‘to consider the 
matter and to consult with the Secretary of Agriculture with a view to 
bringing about greater harmony’’, ete. 
Recent papers of the Bureau of Animal Industry have developed 
interesting facts relating to the production of butter and cheese, the 
results of investigation being too technical to present understandingly 
in limited space. 
The Ontario Agricultural College has been doing good work in the 
study of obscure causes of some plant diseases. The destructive pear 
blight, for instance, has been credited to no less than fiourteen sources 
by different writers. Dr. T. J. Burrill, of the University of Lllinois, did 
thorough work in 1878, proving that bacteria were responsible for the 
ravages of the blight. Later, Dr. J. C. Arthur, Botanist of the N. Y. 
Experiment Station, confirmed this fact and isolated the Bacterium 
amyloverum as the sole cause. The Bacteriological Department of On- 
tario Agricultural College has worked out the development of a bean 
blight, due to another bacterium, and still other Bacteriums have been 
found responsible for soft rots of cabbage, cauliflower, celery and turnips. 
Very complete investigation of the cauliflower disease at Toronto by Mr. 
F. C. Harrison, has yielded results of vast importance. Certain varieties 
are immune and preventive measures have been devised. The papers 
are well illustrated. : 
Bulletin No. 108 of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station 
sounds a note of warning against the Brown-tail moth, which has ob- 
tained foothold in that State. We quote from a glowing red circular 
issued by Chas. D. Woods, Director: 
“‘Since it can readily be fought in orchards the danger to them is 
not so great as to the forests and to the health of citizens. The poison- 
ous effects of the hairs are worse than ‘‘ivy’’ poisoning. If the pests 
become established their presence will tend to diminish the number of 
summer visitors to the State, destroy our hard wood forests, and threaten 
our fruit industries.’’ 
Perhaps one who begrudges the dime which it costs an average 
taxpayer to support the whole scientific work of the government, may 
realize from this statement how much intrinsic value is sure to ensue 
from his trifling investment, even to his individual benefit. 
The two late Bulletins of the University of Tennessee Agricultural 
Experiment Station are examples of applied science, but both are valua- 
ble. The issue for July is a concise, fully illustrated treatise on the 
pruning and training of trees and vines, giving practical instructions, 
with a clear statement of the rationale of the advice given. 
Part I, Transactions Mass. Horticultural Society, 1904, is something 
like the suggestion of its title, but very much more than this. The 
speech of its President-elect, Dr. Henry P. Walcott, informs us that the 
society celebrates its seventy-fifth year of remarkable usefulness. Its 
indirect accomplishments, which have given to Boston many exemplary 
institutions, make a proud record and evince a kind of public spirit much 
needed hereabouts. Among the dozen papers of interest and value in 
