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U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry.
Washington, D. C., April 6th. 1886.
Prof. Charles E. Bessey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Dear Sir:
I have received your kind favor of the 26th. ult. in regard to your microscopial examinations fo swine-plague material upon which Dr. Gerth bases his very positive and sweeping conclusions in regard to this disease, I had an idea before receiving your letter that his conclusions were given entirely on his own authority and I am glad to have this idea confirmed by your letter.
We have recently made some important progress in the study of swine-plague and as soon as the weather become settled, we will be glad to accept your offer and confrim our conclusions by investigations in your State. I think you will see why it is not advisable in the present state of the investigation to appoint a person who has not been connected with the investigations of the past and who is unfamiliar with our researches to make the investigations in Nebraska.
Very respectfully, [T. E. Salmon?], Chief of Bureau.
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Dept. Band G. A. R., Year 1883. Re-appointed Dept. Band, Year 1884.
Geneva Cornet Band.
S. B. Camp, Solo Eb Cornet. J. D. Jamison, 2d " " C. D. Camp, Solo Bb " D. H. Conant, 1st " " J. Schofield, [sic.] Bb Clarionette O. C. Houchin, Solo Alto. A. B. Pavton, 1st Eb Alto.
J. H. Camp, Solo Baritone. O. C. Merrill, 1st Bb Tenor R. B. Spear, 2d " " A. C. Neeves, Bb Bass. A. J. Jones, Eb Tuba. W. T. Barry, Snare Drum Wm. Merrill, Bass "
Leader, S. B. Camp.
M. D. Williams, Drum Major.
Geneva, Neb., Aug 2nd 1886.
Prof. Bessey Dear Reacher.
This morning as I was drawing a bucket of water I saw, what I took at first to be a turnip, lying between the dirt and the boards of the [?]. I was some what curious to know how it came there so I took off the board and found to my joy that it was not a turnip but the large fruit of a fungus.
I removed it and also
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another which I found near. I sliced one and the other I am going to try to preserve whole. I send with this, four drawings which I made of it. No. 1. is a poor representation of the fruit before sliceing. Nos. 2, 3, & 4. are slices taken out at different points. All are taken, as I supposed, cross section. No. 2 near the point where the main fibres of the plant connected with the fruit. No. 3. is taken near the middle. And No. 4. near the other end.
The threads of the plant itself were white while the skin of the fruit is of a redish-purple. Immediately under the skin was a thick lawyer of gelatinous substance. This substance is quite
459
Dept. Band G. A. R., Year 1883. Re-appointed Dept. Band, Year 1884.
Geneva Cornet Band.
S. B. Camp, Solo Eb Cornet. J. D. Jamison, 2d " " C. D. Camp, Solo Bb " D. H. Conant, 1st " " J. Schofield, [sic.] Bb Clarionette O. C. Houchin, Solo Alto. A. B. Pavton, 1st Eb Alto.
J. H. Camp, Solo Baritone. O. C. Merrill, 1st Bb Tenor R. B. Spear, 2d " " A. C. Neeves, Bb Bass. A. J. Jones, Eb Tuba. W. T. Barry, Snare Drum Wm. Merrill, Bass "
Leader, S. B. Camp.
M. D. Williams, Drum Major.
Geneva, Neb., 188
transparent, indeed one can see to read through quite a thick sheet of it.
Inside of this gelatinous substance and occupying the greater part of the fruit is the spore bearing tissue this is of a ([?]) brownish green color, somewhat resembling brown paper when wet.
Running through this spore bearing tissue is a kind of bundle consisting of first a white (firm) tissue (∂); then a more or less cellular gray tissue (e); and on the
