Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-09

MoNTPELIER.-The three leading Compel
itors for the postofice are Capt. John Clark,
the present excellent postmaster. Gen. james
). Peck, and Mr.. Denison Taft.
The advantage a Frcnchman has over a
Yankee in a postofhce canvass was illus
trated by one signing his name in French
for one candidate and in English for
another, receiving the hearty thanks of both.
There was q rousing meeting on Wednes-
day evening last, on the occasion OF the
visit of the Worcester Reform Club, with
delegations from other places, to the Mont
pelier club. Mrs. Molloy was among the
speakers.
Rev. Spencer Marsh, OF Burlington, de-
liyered his fine lecture on Rembrandt. il
Illustrated by numerous etchIngs and photo
graphs. at Village Hall. on Tuesday evening.
The Montpelier papers praise it highly.
Three boys are in Montpelier jan tJr
violating the anti-coasting law.
On Saturday night johanna Donahue,
eighteen years OF age, who had been work
ing for Mr.. Samuel Walton, burst blood
vessel while laughing, and expired i'm
mediately.
The debt Of Montpelier has been decreased
little over ten thousand dollars the last
year. At the annual meeting provision
will have to be made for the payment OF
twenty-five thousand dollars of town bonds,
which fall due the LIST Of January next. A
tax of two hundred and twenty per cent. Is
recommended. The support Of the poor
cost two thousand five hundred and fifty
dollars.
The snnivers airy ball. at the Pavilion, on
the 2ei. was hardly as large q gathering as
and d. c. Barber. of the Van Ness House.
were among the guests.
Guar LoTTE-The town hall was filled
Wednesday evening, with an attentive and
appreciatiy audience who listened for more
than an hou to our townsman, Mr.: G. G.
Pringle, who spoke on the subject Of
Fungi:
The fungus Is a plant, but without roots,
foliage or seed. Ii is cell or collection of
cells, and propagates itself by process of
division and thus of multiplication of cells
Its apparent root is tlsment or fine thread
which is merely an elongated cell, and
which continued to multiply itself until it
forms a mass called mycelium. From
MukOs. q Greek word meaning slime, or
mucus This mass an swers the purpose of
mass Of roots drawing The nourishment
Tor the growth Of the fungus from the
plant which 1t infests. The stalks and
branches and seed of the fungus being Of
the same nature, the seed having no germ,
being simply call.
lie exhibited first drawing of nagni-
fed wheat stalk covered with patches Of
rust, fungus which infests all the cereals
and some OF the grains. This rust has long
been attributed by farmers to the barberry
bush, but the notion was secuted by -cien-
tho men who said that the microscope re-
vealed no such fungus in the barberry 1t
has been discovered, however, that this
fungus Is found in four-fold form. and
that the barberry fungus is indeed identical
With rust. lie then showed drawing Of a
barberry leaf unnaturally thickened BY the
mycelium which had penetrated the whole
cellular tissue of the leaf, and had sent
up the stalks Of tho fungus, which iruired
by simply constructing short lengths Of each
stalk as It a fine thread were drawn tightly
around them, 80 that these portions break
oil and are borne by the air to other leaves
where they root themselves and form sec
ond stage "t growth. which in turn fructi-
hes IN different manner and forms the cell
which attacks the wheat straw and gives
rise to still another form Of the plant " hich
IN this last stage throws off still another
species OF cell that in turn impregnates the
barberry leaf and SO the process Is repeated.
lie then gave similar descriptions OF
ergOt, which Infcsts the different grainsand
grasses, and when abundant produces severe
and iatal diseases in man and beast This
fungus be distinguished from two other
similar ones, burnt and smut, which last is
also to be distinguished from the smut in
Indian corn.
lie then gave sketch of tho fungus. in
Its various transformations. which causes
the potato rot, and closed with an allusion
to the almost endless variety of fungi which
fll the air with pores that fortunately will
vegetate only in particular places and
peculiarly favorable circumstances Of heat
and moisture.
The lecture was exceedingly interesting;
and we consider ourselves highly favored in
having among US man Of 30 thorough cul-
ture and genuine enthusiasm, and who can
give the results of his study and obserya-
ton in so simple and effective manner.