Jnly  2,  1896. 
journal  or  horttoulture  and  cottage  GARDENUR. 
compound  its  structure  out  of  inorganic  matter.  This  is  the  exclusive 
prerogative  of  vegetation  containing  chorophyll  granules,  and  the  green 
colouring  matter  of  plants  is  due  to  the  growth  of  such  granules 
in  the  presence  of  sunlight,  A  parasite  lives  exclusively  on  organic 
matter,  animal  or  vegetable,  and  it  does  not  matter  whether  we  term  it 
saprophytic  or  parasitic  —  all  organisms  devoid  of  chlorophyll  get 
organic  matter  from  vegetation  directly  or  indirectly,  and  are  simply 
organisms  in  which  chlorophyll  granules  (not  chlorophyll  itself)  has  been 
suppressed.  This  took  place  in  primordial  times,  certainly  not  later 
than  Algae,  but  we  must  recognise  the  fact  that  certain  fungi  are  able 
to  exist  and  multiply  in  inorganic  solutions,  such  as  the  clearest  of  salts, 
like  the  sulphates  of  sodium  and  magnesium,  and  these  micro-organisms 
consist  of  single  cells.  This  betrays  their  vegetable  origin,  but  the 
animal  development  is  clearly  defined  by  each  free  cell  having  a  whip¬ 
like  cilium  or  flagellum  at  one  or  both  ends,  by  means  of  which  they 
actually  move  or  change  place.  The  movements,  molecular  and 
mechanical,  however,  do  not  occur  unless  oxyger  is  present  in  the  free 
frrm  in  the  liquid  in  which  the  micro-organisms  are.  The  movements 
are,  therefore,  chemiotactic — that  is,  the  micro-organism  is  directed  in 
its  movements  by  the  influence  of  air  (environment)  and  nutrition 
(food).  There  is  nothing  physical  in  such  movements,  but  imperative 
chemical  agency— -suitable  air  and  proper  food,  both  of  which,  as 
nutrition  of  plants,  are  exclusively,  on  the  part  of  the  soil,  derived  from 
water  by  the  roots.  Gases  must  become  liquid  before  they  can  be 
imbibed  by  the  root-hairs  of  plants,  and  no  organic  body  can  possibly 
enter  a  plant  by  the  root  except  by  force — the  biting  and  boring  of 
animals,  penetration  and  growth  of  vegetable  organisms. 
It  is  necessary  to  understand  the  foregoing  in  order  to  comprehend 
the  following  observations  in  respect  of  the  water  submitted  by 
T.  P.  R.,”  and  the  possibility  of  “  the  spores  of  the  disease  ”  germinating 
in  the  water,  and  “  thus  distributed  to  every  plant  when  watering.” 
This  water  contained  organic  matter  in  suspension,  and  on  submitting  a 
little  of  the  water  to  microscopic  examination  I  found  certain  bodies, 
septic  bacteria.  At  the  surface,  in  very  slight  zooglma  (gelatinous  slime), 
Bacterium  termo  (fig.  2,  B,  5),  which  is  said  by  Dr.  Klein  to  be  the 
true  causal  ferment  of  putrefaction.  It  is  0  0015  mm.  long,  and  there 
are  several  variations  of  it.  In  still  denser  zooglaea  and  in  the  water 
generally  was  a  longer,  broader  form,  Bacterium  lineola  (fig.  2,  C,  e), 
which  is  very  frequently  met  with  in  wells  and  stagnant  water  in  the 
zooglma  stage,  especially  water  containing  vegetable  matter  in  solution 
or  otherwise  in  suspension.  The  cause  of  the  presence  of  these  bodies  in 
water  is  the  organic  matter,  and  their  businefs  therein  is  to  convert  the 
vegetable  or  animal  substances  in  solution  or  suspension  into  inorganic 
matter,  the  mineral  food  of  plants — that  is,  phosphates,  sulphates, 
chlorides,  and  nitrates  of  the  contained  elements.  Thus  the  water 
made  sweet  and  wholesome  as  plant  food. 
With  the  latter  the  gardener  may  not  be  concerned,  but  his  plants 
require  as  sweet  and  wholesome  water  as  animals  if  they  are  to  continue 
healthy.  This  is  effected  in  water  and  in  the  soil  by  chemical  agency. 
Bacteria  produce  chemical  changes,  converting  organic  matter,  of  no 
use  to  plants,  into  inorganic,  the  essential  food  of  vegetation.  In  the 
organic  condition  such  matter  is  positively  injurious  to  plants,  for, 
excepting  the  parasitic  and  saprophytic,  they  have  no  power  to  convert 
themselves  into  assimilable  substance,  and  if  such  matter  enter  the 
plant  it  must  give  rise  to  morbidity.  In  this  way  it  is  possible  those 
morbid  diseases  may  arise  that  at  times  perplex  the  cultivator,  it 
not  being  practicable  to  diagnose  the  mal^y,  and  there  is  no  clue 
afforded  by  chemical  analysis,  whilst  micro-organisms  are  entirely  absent. 
Gardeners  term  such  maladies  ill-health,  and  assign  the  cause  to  sourness 
of  soil.  This  is  the  soil  waters,  due  to  matter  in  the  soil  or  to  the  water 
applied,  and  the  remedy  is  sanitation  or  drainage,  and  change  effected 
by  lime,  or  in  other  words,  oxidation  and  chemical  change.  Sometimes 
the  latter  is  effected  by  supplying  to  the  soil  certain  chemical  substances, 
all  inorganic  or  at  least  passed  from  organic  into  inorganic  change,  such 
as  the  ammonia  of  liquid  manure,  and  these  at  once  bring  about  a 
transformation  favourable  to  the  plant,  it  being  supplied  with  sulphates, 
phosphates,  nitrates  and  chlorides, 
Now  we  may  return  to  the  contents  of  the  bottle.  There  was  no  life 
in  it  but  the  larvse  of  the  gnats  and  the  bacteria.  These  were  there 
because  the  water  contained  organic  matter  in  solution  and  suspension. 
On  placing  in  the  bottle  a  pinch  of  kainit  the  “tadpole-like”  creatures 
became  uneasy,  and  the  bacterial  bodies  put  out  their  cilia  (Be  and  C/). 
A  change  was  taking  place,  chlorides,  sulphates  were  diffused  through 
the  water.  The  work  of  the  bacteria  was  at  an  end,  for  the  chlorides 
acted  on  the  organic  matter,  and  with  the  sulphates  seized  on  the 
ammonia  evolved.  To  hasten  matters  a  pinch  of  nitrate  of  soda  was 
dropped  into  the  water,  the  “  tadpole-like”  animals  settled  to  the  bottom 
of  the  bottle  by  slow  and  sure  degrees,  and  the  whole  contents  became 
quiescent,  settling  ultimately  to  the  bottom  of  the  water  (A  a), leaving  the 
water  perfectly  clear,  but  of  a  slightly  yellow  tinge,  due  to  the  sulphate 
of  the  kainit  and  the  action  of  the  chloride  on  the  organic  matter.  The 
bacteria  resolved  themselves  int )  spores  (B  d  and  O  g'), 
“  T.  P.  R.”  can  practise  this  simple  experiment,  and  ascertain  for 
himself  what  a  change  is  effected  by  .adding  a  little  kainit  (12  70 
moisture,  23  60  sulphate  of  potash,  14'50  sulphate  of  magnesia,  34  60 
chloride  of  soda,  2  20  insoluble  matter  and  other  constituents,  and  12  40 
chloride  of  magnesia)  ;  and  a  pinch  of  nitrate  of  soda  (15  65  nitrogen, 
1  40  chloride  of  soda,  0  32  sulphate  of  soda,  and  0  23  insoluble  siliceous 
matter)  to  his  water.  If  he  add  a  pinch  of  air-slaked  lime  he  will  have 
the  satisfaction  of  finding  the  tadpole-like  creatures  disappear,  ammonia 
being  evolved  from  their  dead  carcases,  and,  being  converted  into 
chloride,  become  of  valuable  service  to  his  plants. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  the  bacteria  are  not  killed,  but  become  spores, 
which  may  rest  indefinitely,  and  the  question  arises.  Will  they  prove 
hurtful  to  the  plants  to  which  the  water  is  applied  '?  For  reasons  before 
given  it  is  impossible  for  them,  as  spores  or  in  any  form,  to  enter  the 
plant  with  the  soil  water.  In  the  case  of  a  damaged  or  decayed  root 
they  might  enter  the  wound  and  perform  their  useful  functions,  but 
there  is  not  the  faintest  possibility  of  their  passing  from  one  part  of  a 
plant  to  another  by  means  of  the  sap  or  juices  of  the  plant,  for  every 
cell  is  a  perfect  filter,  whether  inwards  (endosmose)  or  outwards 
(exosmose),  and  no  solid  body  goes  either  in  or  out  except  by  force, 
which  bacteria  do  not  possess  except  by  contact,  emission  of  a  fluid 
breaking  up  the  cell  wall,  and  thus  the  affection  must  be  localised, 
proceeding  from  cell  to  cell.  This  very  rarely  takes  place  in  plants,  yet 
it  has  been  noticed  in  a  few  cases  in  this  country  on  Potatoes,  Tomatoes, 
Cucumbers,  Melons,  and  Vegetable  Marrows.  The  micro-organisms, 
however,  are  different  from  those  figured,  and  always  accompanied  by  a 
ferment  from  the  affected  part. 
There  is  nothing  to  fear  from  the  micro-organisms  in  the  water  of 
FIO.  2.—J,  bottle  (half  natural  size)  containing  water  after  treatment  with  kainit 
and  nitrate  of  soda;  a,  sediment  (gnat  larvae,  insoluble  matter,  and  bacteria 
spores).  75,  Bacterium  termo ;  6,  in  zoogtea ;  c,  active  microbe ;  d,  forming 
spores.  C,  Bacterium  lineola ;  e,  in  zooglfea ;  /,  active  microbe ;  p,  forming 
and  in  spores. 
soil,  for  they  will  not  act  on  other  than  dead  organic  matter,  and  even 
not  then  if  the  medium  contain  sufficient  lime  for  the  speedy  conversion 
of  such  substances  into  inorganic  elements. 
As  regards  suggestions  for  stamping  out  the  disease  there  is  no 
evidence  that  the  plants  are  suffering  from  any,  for  no  specimen  has 
been  submitted  for  examination,  but  if  by  “  black  spot  ”  is  meant 
“  black  stripe  ”  I  have  nothing  further  to  add  to  what  is  given  on  page 
545 — namely,  a  dressing  of  quicklime  to  the  soil,  say  a  pock  per  rod 
to  soil  where  plants  are  growing,  and  as  a  winter  dressing  J  cwt.  per 
rod,  mixing  it  thoroughly  with  the  soil  to  a  depth  of  15  to  18  inches. 
This,  and  a  careful  selection  of  seed,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  avoid 
“  black  stripe,”  “  sleepy”  or  “  drooping  ”  disease,  as  caused  by  Fusarium 
solani. 
There  is  the  question  of  the  water.  If  the  soil  be  treated  with  lime, 
and  artificial  manures  are  supplied,  the  bacteria  will  remain  quiescent, 
but  if  the  organic  matter  becomes  excessive  in  proportion  to  the  mineral 
matter  it  is  possible  they  will  “  wake  up  ”  and  perform  for  the  cultivator 
what  he  seldom  strives  to  do — namely,  convert  unavailable  substances 
into  matter  assimilable  by  plants.  If  “T.  P.  R.”  prefers,  and  we 
strongly  advise  it,  he  may  supply  nourishment  to  the  plants  in  the 
water,  and  at  the  same  time  destroy  or  render  quiescent  every  organic 
form  in  it  likely  to  prove  injurious,  but  the  lime  must  be  given  to  the 
soil  as  advised,  then  what  takes  place  in  the  bottle  will  occur  in  the  soil. 
Indeed,  I  am  convinced  that  the  only  economical  method  of  feeding 
plants  is  by  supplying  the  food  in  the  water,  storing  it  with  the  inorganic 
elements  needed  for  their  healthy  growth  and  fruitfulness.  For  the 
particular  water  in  question  I  advise  2  ozs.  mineral  superphosphate, 
2  ozs.  kainit,  and  1  oz.  each  nitrate  of  soda  and  sulphate  of  iron,  per 
100  gallons,  stirring  well  up  and  leaving  overnight  or  not  more  than 
twenty-four  hours,  then  using  as  ordinary  water  to  the  roots,-- 
G,  Abbey. 
