116 REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF BACTERIOLOGY. © 
In August, 1906, a package of Nitro-culture in metal container 
was sent in by Mr. W. A. Runyon, Westtown, Orange county, with 
-a request that its quality be determined. A portion of the cotton 
cultures was placed in the proper sterile solutions and allowed to 
develop. Examinations with the microscope and by means of plates 
failed to detect the presence of the desired legume bacteria. 
CONCLUSIONS. 
It would seem from these results that the strong claims made by 
the culture company for the metal containers are not at all in ac- 
cord with the facts. 
It should be clearly understood that this publication concerns 
itself only with the commercial cultures which up to this time have - 
been exclusively those dried upon cotton in accord with the method 
of Dr. Moore. These cultures have proved essentially a complete 
failure in tests made in practically all parts of the country and it 
is hard to understand how any firm can feel justified in continuing 
‘to offer such cultures for sale. 
