New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, II5 
It will be seen that no legume bacteria could be found in fourteen 
of the eighteen cultures examined. In two of the four commercial 
cultures where legume bacteria were found they were present in 
very small numbers, and had they been exposed to the mixed 
growth which occurs when the cultures are developed upon the 
farm, it is very doubtful whether any result would have been ob- 
tained from the use of these cultures. In the two commercial cul- 
tures where the legume bacteria developed sufficiently to represent 
from 20 per cent. to 50 per cent. of the germs present, they would 
probably have developed in some numbers under ordinary con- 
ditions. That such cultures do occasionally develop in this way 
seems probable from the few apparently well authenticated cases 
where good results have followed the use of commercial cultures. 
The finding of even this small number of the desired bacteria 
marks a decided advance over the conditions found last season, but 
at best makes only a very poor showing for the cultures. 
Yeast and molds invariably developed in the flasks. In some cases 
the turbidity appearing in three or four days was due to these 
organisms. The bacterial contaminations consisted of several dif- 
ferent organisms. 
Packages Nos. 1 to 12 were in metal containers while packages 
Nos. 13 to 18 were wrapped in parchment paper and tin foil. Our 
data fail to show that the metal containers exerted any favorable 
influence upon the legume bacteria. The only apparent difference 
between the cultures inclosed in the metal containers and those 
wrapped in parchment paper and tin foil was that the latter were 
more heavily contaminated. 
CULTURES FROM OTHER SOURCES. 
During the season we examined two other packages of inocu- 
lated cotton cultures put up by this same firm and inclosed in metal 
containers. 
In May, 1906, Prof. J. L. Stone developed a culture on cotton 
for alfalfa, following the directions carefully. The solutions be- 
came turbid at the proper time and everything seemed normal. The 
seed was inoculated on the second day, and plates inoculated with 
the fluids at that time showed only an occasional colony of the 
legume bacteria. There was an abundant growth of miscellaneous 
forms. Professor Stone reports that the culture was without dis- 
coverable effect upon the alfalfa. 
