Report of the Botanist.’ 

The work for the year just past is in line with that of 
previous years. The investigations upon pear blight have 
been continued, and some additional features of this im- 
portant disease of plants elucidated. With the view to 
obtain a thorough understanding of the subject, and to 
make all facts, by whomever observed, readily accessible, 
an index of articles of moment contained in the better 
known journals and books has been begun, and some of 
the more important titles included in this report. Additional 
items relating to the rotting of tomatoes, and to the prop- 
agation of the fungus of the clover-leaf weevil are recorded 
and two. fungous disorders, not before mentioned, are taken 
up. Of the latter, the investigation of the fungus of the 
plum tree has so far yielded good results, and promises to 
well repay investigation. The statistics upon the occur- 
rence of weeds are in extension of the observations of last 
year. The following is the order of topics : 
Pear blight. 
Rotting of tomatoes. 
Disease of clover-leaf weevil. 
Mildew of strawberries. 
Plum leaf fungus. 
Weed statistics. . 
Important articles on pear blight. 
PEAR BLIGHT. 
MICROCOCCUS AMYLOVORUS B. 
If the attention which this Station has given to the sub- 
ject of pear blight has a practical bearing (and it is hardly 
conceivable that this will be seriously questioned) its value 
must be in the interest of horticulturists more than of any 
other class. In view of this fact there is something remark- 
able in the slowness with which the essential and funda- 
mental truths upon which the bacterial explanation of pear 
we C. JATEOUT, 
