New YorK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT. STATION. 47 
Notwithstanding the active demand for this material, there 
have been, so far as we can learn, but two firms preparing the 
commercial cultures during the present season. The Vermont 
Seed and Soil Inoculation Co., Burlington, Vt., has sold a small 
amount of cotton in this State but we have not been able to 
obtain any of their product through commercial channels. The 
National Nitro-Culture Co., West Chester, Pa., began to adver- 
tise as early as November of last year, and has practically had 
a monopoly of the commercial end of the business during the 
past season. Our orders, placed with the large seedsmen of the 
country, have all beeen filled with these goods. As theirs were 
the only goods that we could find in the open market, a discus- 
sion of the commercial cultures is necessarily restricted tc their 
output. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 
In addition to the courtesies extended by the Vermont Soil and 
Seed Inoculation Co,, the National Nitro-Culture Co., and the 
Bureau of Piant Industry, we are indebted to a number of 
others. Mr. J. B. Anderson kindly purchased samples for us in 
the open market. Prof. J. L. Stone aided us, both by sug- 
tions and by supplying a considerable amount of cotton cultures 
from various sources. Prof. F. D. Chester, Dr. J. G. Lipman, 
Dr. E. M. Houghton and Dr. C. E. Marshall contributed to the 
accuracy of the work, both by suggestions as to laboratory 
methods, and by carrying out a system of check determinations 
upon duplicate samples of cotton. Johnson & Johnson kindly 
furnished us with some specially high grade cotton for certain 
tests. Our colleague, Mr. E. B. Hart, has been helpful with 
Suggestions and assistance in the chemical questions which have 
arisen. 
OUTLINE OF INVESTIGATION. 
METHOD OF ATTACKING THE PROBLEM. 
Since the cotton was supposed to contain a practically pure 
culture of Pseudomonas radicicola, it seemed that an examination 
in the laboratory might determine that this organism was present 
in proper quantity. It should be remembered, however, that 
much stress has been laid upon the previous training which the 
