364 
Eeport of the Botanist of the 
fully stated. Some facts are given about the development of the 
germs in artificial cultures, and the chemical and other changes which 
they bring about. In 1886 the proof of the bacterial nature of the 
disease is reviewed and further strengthened, the forms and trans- 
formations of the germs are described and illustrated, and the- 
chemical changes they bring about further treated of, including the 
proof that they do not form a poison in the branches of the trees 
Statistics and expei^iments are produced to further show the relation 
of blight to succulency and to explain why the disease varies in 
different varieties of the same kind of fruit. It is further shown 
that the bacteria may live and propagate in common garden soil. 
An index of forty-three titles, with a short synopsis of each article j 
is provided to some of the chief opinions which have been expressed 
on the subject in various journals and reports, covering the time from 
1794 to 1886. 
The other diseases of the pear which have been treated of are the 
leaf blight, scab or rust, as it is severally called, due to the fungus 
Eusicladium pyrinum, with suggestions for its treatment, the blacken- 
ing or browning of the leaves due to Morthiera Mespili, and the yel- 
lowing of the leaves due to want of sufficient nutrition, all in the 
report for 1884, with a note on scab, in the present report. There is 
also a note on the use of hyposulphite of soda as a preventive of 
scab by Mr. E. S. Goff in the 1886 report. 
Apple. — The diseases of the apple that have been taken up are a 
brief account in the 1884 report of twig blight, already referred to 
above, and leaf blight or scab, due to Fusicladium dendriticum, and a 
note on the latter in the present report. Experiments in the use of 
hyposulphite of soda as a preventive of apple scab are given by Mr 
Goff in the reports for 1885, 1886 and the present year. 
Quince. — Twig blight in quince, due to the same cause as pear 
blight, mildewed leaves caused by Podosphsera triclactyla, rotting of 
the fruit by Sphffiropsis Cydonise, and spotting of the leaves by a 
variety of Morthiera Mespili, are all briefly treated in the report for 
1884, no remedies being offered, and the last disease when attacking 
the fruit is described and illustrated in the report for 1885. 
Peach. — A few remarks on peach yellows, and quite full accounts 
of curl and gumming or gummosis are given in the 1884 report. The 
opinions and researches of foreign investigators are cited and supple- 
mented by experiments carried on at the Station. An additional item 
on the curl is given in the present report. 
Plums and Cherries. — A full account and careful investigations on 
the common rotting of the fruit, found to be due to Oidium fructige- 
