
          95

"I am now confifdently to assert that this devastating
disease of the peach is caused by Bacteria!

"These minute, moving, living things are found in great numbers
within the cells of the diseased tree [Cf. Dr. Arthur's counter
statement].  They are apparently specifically different from those
of the pear tree, being comparatively more slender.  What I take
to be the typical form- all very considerably- is very <s>rarely</s> nearly
1 [micron] by 3.5 [microns] (.0000343 in. by .0001202 in.), made up of several
not very evident articulations.  They rest in some stages nearly
or quite motionless, and in this condition show a curious peculiarity
of lying in <s>roots</s> ranks, side by side.  In other periods of development
they <s>were</s> move in an unsteady, undulating manner, with considerable
rapidity; they turn and twist and tumble on their sides,
on end, now drifting with the current, now swarming in an inextricable
maze in the field of a first-class one-tenth objective.

"As the bacteria increase, the starch grains, stored by the 
tree for its own nourishment disappear,[*]  and I doubt not farther investigation
will prove that, as in the blight of the pear and apple,
butyric fermentation takes place.  The diseased tree probably
suffers in other ways from the presence of these minute parasites,
but we may say with truth that it really starves to death.
Its food gathered from the earth and air, assimilated by the leaves
and stored for immediate or future use, is ruthlessly seize upon
and destroyed.  No doubt this takes place at all times of the year,

[begin text from right margin]
*this contradicts Penhallow's statement
that starch is found in excess in diseased trees.
[end text from right margin]
        