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Title: The Impostor: A Tale of Old Annapolis
Author: John Reed Scott
Illustrator: Clarence F. Underwood
Release date: July 24, 2019 [eBook #59975]
Language: English
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- 5. Principle and Application Of Soil Microbiology Third Edition Terry J. Gentry Digital Instant Download Author(s): Terry J. Gentry, Jeffry J. Fuhrmann, David A. Zuberer ISBN(s): 9780128202029, 0128202025 Edition: THIRD EDITION File Details: PDF, 77.97 MB Language: english
- 7. PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS OF SOIL MICROBIOLOGY THIRD EDITION Edited by Terry J. Gentry Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States Jeffry J. Fuhrmann Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States David A. Zuberer Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- 8. Elsevier Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom 50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www. elsevier.com/permissions. This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein). Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any informa- tion, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-0-12-820202-9 For information on all Elsevier publications visit our website at https://www.elsevier.com/books-and-journals Publisher: Candice Janco Editorial Project Manager: Leticia M. Lima Production Project Manager: Kumar Anbazhagan Designer: Miles Hitchen Typeset by Thomson Digital
- 9. xiii Contributors Jose A. Amador Department of Natural Re- sources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States Robyn A. Barbato US Army Cold Regions Re- search and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH, United States Jayne Belnap US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Center, Moab, UT, United States John P. Brooks USDA-ARS, Genetics and Sus- tainable Agriculture Unit, Mississippi State, MS, United States Mary Ann Bruns The Pennsylvania State Uni- versity, University Park, PA, United States Shiping Deng Department of Plant and Soil Sci- ence, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States Rhae A. Drijber Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States Alan Joseph Franzluebbers USDA—Agricul- tural Research Service, Raleigh, NC, United States Jeffry J. Fuhrmann Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States Josef H. Görres Plant and Soil Science Depart- ment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States Ferran Garcia-Pichel Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, and School of Life Sciences, Arizona State Univer- sity, Tempe, AZ, United States Terry J. Gentry Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States James J. Germida Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada James H. Graham University of Florida, Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL, United States V.V.S.R. Gupta CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia Steven J. Hall Department of Ecology and Evo- lutionary Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States William J. Hickey Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States Julie A. Howe Department of Soil and Crop Sci- ences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States Gavin McNicol Department of Earth and Envi- ronmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chi- cago, Chicago, IL, United States Morgan R. McPherson Department of Agron- omy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States C. Mike Reynolds US Army Cold Regions Re- search and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH, United States Joseph B. Morton West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States David D. Myrold Department of Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States Cindy H. Nakatsu Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States Ian L. Pepper Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center (WEST), University of Arizo- na, Tucson, AZ, United States Lindsey Slaughter Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
- 10. xiv Contributors A. Peyton Smith Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States Sarah L. Strauss University of Florida, South- west Florida Research and Education Center, Im- mokalee, FL, United States Janice E. Thies Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States Kurt E. Williamson Biology Department, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States Wendy H. Yang Departments of Plant Biology and Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States Stephanie A. Yarwood Department of Envi- ronmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States Larry M. Zibilske Vice-President for Research, Texas Plant and Soil Laboratory, Edinburg, TX, United States David A. Zuberer Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- 11. xv About the Editors Terry J. Gentry Dr. Terry J. Gentry is a Professor of Soil and Aquatic Micro- biology in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University. He teaches an undergraduate course in soil and water microbiology and a graduate course in environmen- tal microbiology. His research focuses on the use of molecular technologies to detect and identify microbial pathogens from animal, human, and natural sources along with the character- ization of microbial populations and communities contributing to applied processes such as the bioremediation of organic and metal contaminants and sustainability of intensive cropping systems. Affiliations and Expertise Professor of Soil and Aquatic Microbiology, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States Jeffry J. Fuhrmann Jeffry J. Fuhrmann is a Professor of Soil Microbiology in the De- partment of Plant and Soil Sciences, with a joint appointment in Biological Sciences, at the University of Delaware. He teach- es a graduate course in soil microbiology and undergraduate courses in introductory soil science and soils and sustainability. His research has focused primarily on the ecology and diversity of soybean bradyrhizobia using combined phenotypic and ge- notypic approaches. More recently, this emphasis has extended into analogous studies of associated bacteriophages. His re- search has additionally examined broader aspects of the micro- bial ecology of soils and the rhizosphere. He has served as an associate editor for the Soil Science Society of America Journal. Affiliations and Expertise Professor of Soil Microbiology, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Del- aware, Newark, DE, United States
- 12. xvi About the Editors David A. Zuberer Dr. David A. Zuberer is a Professor Emeritus of Soil Microbi- ology in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University. He taught soil microbiology continuously for >30 years in addition to maintaining an active research pro- gram in nitrogen fixation and rhizosphere microbiology. He served as a Technical Editor of the Soil Biology and Biochem- istry Division (S3) of the Soil Science Society of America Jour- nal. He is a Fellow of both the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. He was the recipient of the 2003 Soil Science Education Award and the 2012 Agro- nomic Resident Education Award of the American Society of Agronomy. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Affiliations and Expertise Professor Emeritus of Soil Microbiology, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- 13. xvii Preface Perhaps no area of soil science has seen greater transformation over the past few decades than soil microbiology. Thus, an updated, third edition of Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology became necessary to reflect the new discoveries which have occurred over the ∼15 years since the second edition was published in 2005. The first edition of this book initially grew out of discussions in the 1990s among scientists in Regional Research Project S-226 (later S-262 and S-297) who saw the need for an updated, comprehensive textbook for teaching soil microbiology. The field had become so broad that it was almost impossible for any one individual to stay current in all aspects of the science. Thus, adopting King Solomon’s adage that “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens an- other,” the editors took the nontraditional approach of having multiple authors write the textbook. Many of the original authors were members of the Regional Project, while oth- ers were invited to write chapters related to their specific area of research expertise. In this way, the editors hoped to better capture the rapid advances in both fundamental knowledge and potential applications of soil microbiology. They also believed that a multi-authored ap- proach would serve to bridge students from a traditional, introductory, single-authored text to a typical multi-authored scientific treatise. Then and now, students need to learn the con- cept of consulting the works of individual scientists to keep abreast of current developments. Nevertheless, care was taken in the editing process to ensure a uniform style and consistent usage of terminology. This overall process was continued in the second edition, published in 2005, and again in the current, third, edition. Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology is designed for use by advanced undergradu- ate and beginning graduate students who require a comprehensive treatment of the field of soil microbiology. Professionals in agricultural, environmental, and industrial fields should also find this book a valuable reference. This third edition of the book is divided into four major sections: (1) Fundamentals, (2) Organisms and Interactions, (3) Cycles in Soil, and (4) Environmental and Agricultural Per- spectives. The book has been reorganized and updated throughout with many citations to the literature published since the second edition was printed. Significant new material has been added, and certain sections have been expanded. A partial list includes new chapters on (1) Applied Aspects of Soil Carbon and (2) Soil Microbial Influences on One Health, along with more comprehensive treatment of Archaea, biological soil crusts, bioremediation technolo- gies, carbon sequestration, microbial interactions, mycorrhizal specificity, nucleic-acid tech- niques for soil microbiome analysis, rhizosphere, soil health, soil organic matter formation, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, and virus diversity and survival in soils. Instructors may find that this book contains more information than they cover in a typical, one-semester course in soil microbiology. The fundamentals chapters are provided as back- ground information for students who do not have prior courses in soil science or biochemis- try. The chapters on the important groups of microorganisms found in soil may include more
- 14. xviii Preface detail than is required of beginning students, but they will serve as an important reference on the taxonomy, physiology, and ecology of microorganisms for advanced students and profes- sionals. Our short-term goal was to provide chapters on topics where active research shows promise of practical application. Our long-term goal is to provide timely updates of this book so students can keep abreast of the most recent advances in soil microbiology. Although many methods are referred to in individual chapters in connection with dis- cussions of specific principles and applications, the reader should be aware that this is not a book of methods. This is the reason why we avoided a specific chapter on methods. For a detailed treatise on methods in soil microbiology, the reader should consult other works (e.g., Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2. Microbiological and Biochemical Properties published by the Soil Science Society of America; Manual of Environmental Microbiology, fourth ed. published by the American Society for Microbiology) and the current scientific literature. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the editors and authors of the first and second editions of the textbook for their previous contributions, many of which form the foundation for the current edition. Special thanks to our co-editors of the first and second editions, Drs. David Sylvia and Peter Hartel for their original contributions to the text and for their support and encouragement for the third edition. We thank Kim Luoma for her many excellent drawings and many internal and external reviewers of the individual chapters. We also thank other members of the S-226, S-262, and S-297 Regional Research Projects for their stimulating discussions. Finally, we thank all of our family and friends who provided the support and encouragement that was necessary to bring this project to completion.
- 15. C H A P T E R 1 Principles and Applications of Soil Microbiology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-820202-9.00001-0 Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Introduction and historical perspective Terry J. Gentry, David A. Zuberer Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States “Society has its roots in the soil”—Charles Kellogg. Soil microbiology is a branch of soil science concerned with microbes found in the soil and their relations to soil management, agricultural production, and environmental qual- ity. Hence, soil microbiologists study the numbers and kinds of microbes found in soil and the effects these and introduced microbes have on soil-ecological processes (e.g., nutrient cycling). The applications of these studies have important consequences for crop production, environmental quality, and the restoration of disturbed environments. In fact, they are para- mount to the sustained health and productivity of the world’s soils and the populations that depend on them for sustenance. Soil habitat The soil is a complex habitat for microbial growth (Fig. 1.1; see also Chapter 2). It differs markedly from the environment that microorganisms encounter when grown on traditional laboratory culture media in two crucial ways. First, in its natural state, the soil is a heteroge- neous medium of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases, varying in its properties, both across the landscape, with depth in a profile, and over time. Microbes generally exist as isolated micro- colonies or biofilms on mineral particles, organic matter, roots, etc. Here they are dependent on the movement of nutrients to them by mass flow of soil water or by diffusion. Similarly, they must depend on passive means for the removal of toxins from their locale unless they are motile and can move from site to site. Second, in soil, competition exists among an enormous variety of organisms for nutrients, space, and moisture. Competition occurs among bacteria, actinomycetes (actinobacteria), and fungi, as well as with other life forms in soil, including animals and plant roots. If we are to understand soil microbes, then developing a working knowledge of the habitat in which they grow is of utmost importance.
- 16. 2 1. Introduction and historical perspective Nature of cellular organisms The basis of living matter is the cell (Box 1.1). Each cell is a unique entity made up of a complex mixture of chemical materials and subcellular components. The cell is bounded by the cytoplasmic membrane, separating the interior of the cell, known as the cytoplasm, from the external environment. Characteristics of living cells Two fundamental types of living cells are recognized: prokaryotes (from pro, meaning “before,” and karyon, meaning “nucleus”) and eukaryotes (from eu meaning “true”). The term “prokaryote” has taken on some controversy among modern scientists, with some even advocating for the disuse of the term. However, here we will continue to the use the term in its classical sense as it is useful in differentiating two types of organisms, that is, it describes cells whose nuclear material (often called the nucleoid) is not bounded by a distinct nuclear FIGURE 1.1 A soil habitat containing mineral soil particles (sand (Sa), silt (Si), and clay (C)), organic matter (OM), water (W), plant root with root hairs (R), and soil organisms (bacteria (B), actinomycetes (A), mycorrhizal spores and hyphae (My), hyphae of a saprophytic fungus (H), a nematode (N), ciliate protozoa (CP), flagellate pro- tozoa (FP), and a mite (M). This soil can be a habitat of enormous complexity and diversity even over small distances. For example, the actual size of the soil in this drawing is <1 mm in both directions yet may contain habitats that are acid to alkaline, wet to dry, aerobic to anaerobic, reduced to oxidized, and nutrient-poor to nutrient-rich. Realizing this complexity and diversity is a key to understanding soil microbiology. Source: Original drawing by Kim Luoma.
- 17. Nature of cellular organisms 3 membrane (bacteria and archaea) in contrast to cells having a true nucleus. Major structural differences exist between the two types of cells. In eukaryotes, the nucleus is in the cyto- plasm; it is bounded by a distinct nuclear membrane and contains several DNA molecules (chromosomes); membrane-bound organelles are also present. Eukaryotes undergo division by the well-known process of mitosis. The prokaryote does not have a well-defined nucleus (bounded by a nuclear membrane). Rather, it consists of a single, circular DNA molecule (the “chromosome”): the nucleoid. Cell division in the prokaryote is usually by binary fission (i.e., a simple nonmitotic splitting). Additional differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are presented in Table 1.1. Bacteria (including cyanobacteria and actinomycetes) and Archaea are prokaryotes, while all other cellular organisms are eukaryotes; viruses (Chap- ter 9) are unique in being acellular as described later. Classification of organisms The study and use of microorganisms are based on our ability to recognize and estab- lish the identity of individuals. Most classification schemes are organized to show relation- ships among organisms. This orderly arrangement allows us to communicate descriptive BOX 1.1 C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f l i v i n g c e l l s Key characteristics that separate living cells from nonliving chemical systems include: All cells: • Metabolism: The capacity to take up and use chemicals from the environment and transform these chemicals into usable products, including energy to grow or survive, and to excrete waste products. • Growth: The capacity to self-direct synthesis using nutrients from the environment to produce new cell materials, growing by division, forming two cells from one. • Evolution: The capacity to change genetically, which may affect the overall fitness of the cell to survive in a particular environment. Some cells: • Differentiation: The capacity to undergo change in form or function (e.g., endospore formation), often in response to environmental changes or normal growth processes. • Communication: The capacity to interact with other cells through chemical signaling. • Genetic exchange: Cells exchange genes by several mechanisms. • Motility: Some cells are capable of propelling themselves using “organelles” such as flagella or cilia or other means of movement. Adapted from Madigan et al. (2019).
- 18. 4 1. Introduction and historical perspective information about the organism to others. These data can also be entered into various micro- bial databases, allowing retrieval of information about related organisms. Like other biologists, microbiologists use the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature to name microbes. An organism’s name consists of a genus and species (sort of a “first” name and “last” name). In the more evolutionarily advanced organisms, species are defined as groups of interbreeding or potentially interbreeding natural populations. However, many microbes do not reproduce sexually so this definition is not very useful. Microbiologists define a species as a group of similar individuals that are sufficiently different from other individuals to be considered a recognized taxonomic group. At the next higher taxonomic level, a genus (plural, genera) can be defined as a grouping of species that share a major prop- erty (or properties). For example, the Latin binomial name, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (abbre- viated A. thiooxidans once it has been introduced by full name in the text) is representative of a group of individuals (species: thiooxidans) that have the capacity to oxidize elemental sulfur and share some common characteristics with other organisms in the genus Acidithiobacillus. Often microorganisms are named for an outstanding feature they possess (e.g., A. thiooxidans is a rod-shaped bacterium capable of oxidizing reduced sulfur for the generation of energy). In other cases, organisms are named to commemorate the contributions of an outstanding scientist in the field (e.g., Nitrobacter winogradskyi, named in honor of the Russian soil micro- biologist Sergei Winogradsky). Historically, microbes were classified on the basis of taxonomic features that were relatively easy to observe and measure. These characters include cell structure, morphology, staining reactions, and physiological parameters (e.g., ability to use a particular carbohydrate, nitro- gen fixation, etc.). These features are phenotypic (based on physical characteristics, appear- ance, etc.) rather than genotypic (based on genetic relationships) and may obscure important genetic relations among related groups of organisms. TABLE 1.1 Comparison of structural features of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Organelle Prokaryotes Eukaryotes Bacteria, archaea, cyanobacteria Fungi Algae Protozoa Cytoplasmic membrane + + + + Nuclear division + + + + Nuclear membrane − + + + Ribosomes 70S 80S 80S 80Sa Endoplasmic reticulum − + + + Golgi complexes − + + + Mitochondria − + + + Cytoskeleton − + + + Chloroplasts − − + −, + b Vacuole − + + + Cell wall + + + + a S is the Svedberg unit. b Some phytoflagellates have chlorophyll.
- 19. Nature of cellular organisms 5 The progressive development of DNA-based analysis tools over the last few decades intro- duced new ways of determining relations among organisms (Chapter 4). Currently, the meth- ods most commonly used to identify and determine relatedness of organisms are based on comparison of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences, although whole genome analysis is becoming more frequent as sequencing costs decrease. Insights from these analyses are revo- lutionizing microbial taxonomy. The traditional scheme of classification recognized five king- doms of organisms: Bacteria, Fungi, Protista (including algae and protozoa), Animals, and Plants. More recent findings based on molecular phylogeny suggest there are three domains of living organisms: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya (Fig. 1.2; Pace, 2009). Although place- ment of organisms into three domains was defined by differences within the rRNA gene, subsequent studies reveal that organisms in these domains also differ in cell-wall properties, lipid composition, and mechanisms of protein synthesis. Below the three domains, six or more kingdoms have been recognized. Our new understanding of the tree of life contradicts several long-held beliefs (Pace, 2009). For example, the deep divergence between Archaea and Bacteria shatters the notion of evo- lutionary unity among prokaryotes, and it appears that the Eukarya line is as old as the prokaryotic lines. As promising as the early claims for molecular sequencing have been for determining relationships among organisms, the applications have not led to universal acceptance of the exact structure of the phylogenetic tree depicted in Fig. 1.2, except perhaps, at its most remote branches. Difficulties arise toward the root (base) of the tree. Woese (1998) stated it thusly; “Organismal lineages, and so organisms as we know them, did not exist at these early stages. The universal phylogenetic tree, therefore, is not an organismal tree at its base but gradually becomes one as its peripheral branchings emerge. The universal ancestor is not a discrete entity. It is, rather, a diverse community of cells that survives and evolves as FIGURE 1.2 Universal phylogenetic tree for living organisms, based on comparative sequencing of 16S or 18S ribosomal RNA genes. Note that microorganisms comprise most of the biological diversity found on earth. Source: Adapted from Pace (2009).
- 20. 6 1. Introduction and historical perspective a biological unit. This communal ancestor has a physical history but not a genealogical one. Over time, this ancestor refined into a smaller number of increasingly complex cell types with the ancestors of the three primary groupings of organisms arising as a result.” These organisms form an incredibly diverse community (microbiome) within soil; for example, soil microbiologists currently estimate that there may be up to 4,000–13,000 species of bacteria, not counting other organisms, in a single gram of soil. These estimates are based on the diversity of DNA extracted from soil samples, since the vast majority of soil bacteria (and other microorganisms) have not yet been cultured or characterized in the lab. The soil microbiome remains a largely undiscovered scientific frontier with much yet to be learned about these novel microorganisms. In these classification schemes, there is no place for viruses (Chapter 9). Viruses are not cells because they lack a cytoplasmic membrane with internal cytoplasm; it is only when viruses are associated with another organism (e.g., bacterium, plant, animal) that they are able to fulfill the basic life processes as stated in Box 1.1. Organisms in the soil Soil organisms are both numerous and highly diverse. Many soil organisms are small and cannot be seen without the aid of magnification (Table 1.2). The smallest organisms, bacte- ria, actinomycetes, fungi, and algae, are referred to collectively as the microflora. Soil ani- mals range in size from microscopic (microfauna) to mites, earthworms, and small mammals (mesofauna and macrofauna). With the exception of some soil animals and fungi, most soil organisms are single cells. Chapters 5–9 of this book describe the microbes present in soil. Excluding viruses, bacteria are the most abundant microbes in soil (Table 1.2), attaining populations in excess of 100 million (108 ) individuals per gram (g–1 ) of soil and representing perhaps as many as 103 –104 different species. The actinomycetes and fungi are the next most numerous microbes in soil, numbering from 107 to 108 and 105 to 106 g–1 soil, respectively, TABLE 1.2 Representative sizes, numbersa , and biomassa of major microbial groups found in soil. Microbial group Example Size (µm) Numbers (# g−1 soil) Biomass (kg wet mass ha–1 soil) Viruses Tobacco mosaic 0.02 × 0.3 1010 –1011 — Bacteria Pseudomonas 0.5 × 1.5 108 –109 300–3,000 Actinomycetes Streptomyces 0.5–2.0 b 107 –108 300–3,000 Fungi Mucor 8.0 b 105 –106 500–5,000 Algae Chlorella 5 × 13 103 –106 10–1,500 Protozoa Euglena 15 × 50 103 –105 5–200 Nematodes Pratylenchus 1,000 c 101 –102 1–100 Earthworms Lumbricus 100,000 c 10–1,000 a Data from Metting (1993) b Diameter of hyphae c Length
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- 26. This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: The Impostor: A Tale of Old Annapolis Author: John Reed Scott Illustrator: Clarence F. Underwood Release date: July 24, 2019 [eBook #59975] Language: English Credits: E-text prepared by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by the Google Books Library Project (https://books.google.com) *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE IMPOSTOR: A TALE OF OLD ANNAPOLIS ***
- 27. E-text prepared by Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by the Google Books Library Project (https://books.google.com) Note: Images of the original pages are available through the Google Books Library Project. See https://books.google.com/books? id=CC4XAAAAYAAJ&hl=en THE IMPOSTOR
- 29. "MISS STIRLING, IS SIR EDWARD DANGEROUS, AS WELL AS FASCINATING, OR SIMPLY FASCINATING?" ASKED MISS MARBURY. Page 206
- 30. THE IMPOSTOR
- 31. A TALE OF OLD ANNAPOLIS BY JOHN REED SCOTT AUTHOR OF "THE COLONEL OF THE RED HUZZARS," "BEATRIX OF CLARE," "THE PRINCESS DEHRA," "THE WOMAN IN QUESTION," ETC. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY CLARENCE F. UNDERWOOD PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1910 Copyright, 1910 By John Reed Scott Published September, 1910
- 32. Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company The Washington Square Press, Philadelphia, U.S.A. DEDICATED TO THE ONE WITHOUT WHOSE UNFAILING COMFORT ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSIST- ANCE IN TIME OF SERIOUS AFFLIC- TION AND DEEP DISTRESS THIS STORY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FINISHED
- 33. FOREWORD I have endeavored to tell an old story in a modern fashion. Wherein I have failed, I beg indulgence; wherein I have succeeded, even a little, I have to thank the Spirit of the Past, which still lingers in the ancient capital and its environs. To Mrs. Story, the present owner, who graciously permitted me to inspect Whitehall; to Mrs. Dugan, Prudence R.—a direct descendant of John Ridout, the Commissary-General—who gave me much information concerning Governor Sharpe; and to Miss Shaffer, the State Librarian, in whose charge are the Maryland Gazettes of the period, as well as to the Gazettes themselves, I wish to express my sincere appreciation. J. R. S. Gettysburg, Penna., 6 June '10.
- 34. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I.—The Governor's Niece 13 II.—Sir Edward Parkington 24 III.—The Races 33 IV.—The Marburys 46 V.—Hedgely Hall and Marbury, Senior 59 VI.—The Mistake 73 VII.—Sir Edward Lays Plans 88 VIII.—The Meaning of a Shrug 104 IX.—The Surprise 122 X.—The Defeat 141 XI.—The Key 160 XII.—Maynadier's Dream 178 XIII.—The Campaigns 196 XIV.—Guilty and Not Guilty 212 XV.—Long-Sword Again 233 XVI.—The Crescent and the Star 253 XVII.—A Letter and a Confession 271 XVIII.—The Broken Rendezvous 289 XIX.—Arraigned 304 XX.—The Penalty of a Birth-Mark 320
- 35. ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE "MISS STIRLING, IS SIR EDWARD DANGEROUS, AS WELL AS FASCINATING, OR SIMPLY FASCINATING?" ASKED MISS MARBURY Frontispiece "IT IS A QUEER TRADE, MONSIEUR, THIS OF A PIRATE," HE SAID 144 "WHAT WERE YOU AND SIR EDWARD TALKING ABOUT LAST NIGHT?" HE ASKED 306 THE IMPOSTOR
- 36. I THE GOVERNOR'S NIECE Martha Stirling came slowly down the steps into the garden, pausing for a moment, on each step, lest the Governor hear her; then she sped quickly across the lawn, and, bending over, kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning, your Excellency!" she laughed. Colonel Sharpe looked up, with a start. "Bless me, girl! have some regard for your uncle's dignity," he said, drawing her down on the arm of the chair. "It seems to me, young lady, that you are a trifle clever in the kissing art, to never have been kissed yourself." "For shame, sir! You, a royal Governor—no, I mean a Lord Baltimore's Governor—to intimate so scandalous a thing. It may be, sir, that, as to you, I could truthfully not intimate.... Tell me, who is the young man that came with Mr. Dulany." "Ho, ho! That is the reason for the kiss: to make me amenable. Why did you not say, 'the handsome young man'?" "The handsome young man, then; indeed, the very handsome young man." "He is a stranger in Annapolis." "I know that." "And what else?" "What my eyes saw—graceful, easy, handsome, a man of the world."
- 37. "Oh, you women! Graceful, easy, handsome, a man of the world! You judge by externals." "And pray, sir, what else had I to judge by?" springing up; "I but saw him—you spoke with him. How far am I amiss?" The Governor smiled. "Not by the fraction of a hair, so far as I can make it," he said. "He is Sir Edward Parkington, come from London for his pleasure. He brought with him letters of introduction to Mr. Dulany and myself. He seems to have been in a rather hard case, too. He took passage from The Capes to Annapolis in The Sally, a bark of small tonnage and worse sail. They ran into a storm; the bark foundered, and all on board were lost, except Parkington; or, at least, he saw none when, more dead than alive, he was cast ashore near Saint Mary's." "The poor fellow! Did he lose everything?" "Everything but the letters, which were in his pocket—and his charm of manner and good looks." "At least, we shall appreciate the latter." The Governor looked at her rather quizzically. "Yes, I reckon you will," he said. "At least, if you do not, it will be the first time." His eyes fell on one, in the red and blue of the Royal Americans, who just emerged from the house, and was hesitating on the piazza, as though uncertain whether to descend. "It seems to me there is something familiar in that personage. Do you know him?" Martha turned and looked. "Oh!" she said, "I do not want to see him. Why does he pester me?" "Nevertheless, my dear, he is there; and I see he is coming here. So take him off and make game of him, playing him this way and that; a bit of encouragement, a vast disdain; and, then, send him off again a little more securely hooked than ever.... Good morning,
- 38. Captain Herford, were you looking for us, or, rather, were you looking for one of us?" Charles Herford bowed, elaborately, his hand upon his sword-hilt, his hat across his heart. "If your Excellency please, I was," he said. "Which one: Mistress Martha Stirling or Horatio Sharpe?" asked the Governor, arising. "Mistress Stirling, so please you," said Herford, with another bow. "Then, I bid you good morning!" the Colonel laughed, and returned to the house. "Well, sir," said Miss Stirling, after a moment's silence, "what can I do for you—or, rather, what can I do with you?" "Treat me just faintly nice." "Oh," she said, looking at him through half-closed eyes, "is that it; humble, this morning!" "Yes, humble, grovelling, anything to win your favor." She turned, and they passed slowly among the flowers. "Is humbleness the way to win a woman's favor?" she asked. "I do not know. It seems to me the proper way—or, if not proper, the more expedient way. Perchance, you will tell me." A faint smile crossed her lips. "I?" she said. "I can tell you nothing. My favor is not for your winning, Mr. Herford, nor for any one's else in the Colony." She stopped, and plucked a rose. "Come, come, sir, be sensible! Why cannot you be alone with me without thinking of favor or love? Enjoy the morning, and the flowers, and these beautiful gardens, sweeping away to the Severn, and the golden
- 39. Severn itself, or the silver Severn, whichever way you will have it; I am not particular." "Do you mean," he said, with a laugh, "that I should go down and throw myself off the dock?" "No, nothing quite so bad as that; you know what I mean. Now, come along, and not another word on the forbidden subject. Here!" and gave him the rose. "A thousand thanks!" he said, and kissed her hand. "Sir Edward Parkington is a very handsome man," she observed, presently; "don't you think so?" "I am willing to accept your judgment on him." "But what is your own judgment?" "I have not any. I do not know Sir Edward Parkington." "And have not seen him?" He shook his head. "Nor ever heard of him," he said. "Is it possible that you blades of the Coffee-house must come to a woman to learn the last gossip—and him a Sir?" "It would seem so," he answered. "Who is this Sir Edward Parkington, and from where?" "From London—come to Annapolis with letters to his Excellency and to Mr. Dulany. A very elegant gentleman, indeed." "To have gained your favor, he must have been all that." "Oh!" she said, "I just saw him for a moment, but it was quite sufficient."
- 40. "I wonder," he said, watching her narrowly, "I wonder if he has a wife?" She laughed, gaily. "Meaning that, if he had not, I might be his lady?" Herford bowed. "Since it may not be in the Colony, best back to London for the Colony's own good." "Are you not a bit premature? Sir Edward may be married, and, even if he is not, I may not suit him for a wife." "I was assuming him to be a man of taste; of 'the high kick of fashion' in all things." "And so he is. I saw him only cross the lawn, to where Colonel Sharpe was standing, but such ease and grace I never have seen exceeded—even your Mr. Dulany appeared awkward, by comparison." "Sometime, I hope to meet him and acquire a bit of polish," he said, with a laugh in which good nature was just touched with scorn. "Meanwhile, it were just as well to be a good soldier and retire." "Not going, Captain Herford." "Yes, going; you are in a teasing mood, this morning. You go to the races to-morrow?" "I certainly shall." "And I may ride beside the coach?" "If you wish," she said; "with Mr. Paca, and Mr. Hammond and——" "And a score of others, of course." He bowed over her hand a moment, then strolled away, singing softly the chorus of the old troop song:
- 41. "Then over the rocks and over the steep, Over the waters, wide and deep, We'll drive the French without delay, Over the lakes and far away." Martha Stirling listened until the singing ceased, then she shrugged her shoulders, and went slowly back to the house. A month before she had come out from England to visit her uncle— Colonel Horatio Sharpe, Governor of Maryland—and instantly became the toast of all the young men of the Colony. There was nothing surprising, possibly, in that; Governor Sharpe's niece would have been popular if she had been without any particular attraction, but Miss Stirling had attractions in abundance. Under a great mass of jet black hair, piled high on her head, was a face of charming beauty, with blue eyes that warmed and sparkled— though on occasion they could glint cold enough—a perfect nose, and a mouth made for laughter alone. In figure, she was just above the average, slender and lithe. This morning, her gown was of pink linen, and, as she passed up the steps into the mansion, one could see a finely turned silk ankle, with white slippers to match. Crossing the wide entrance hall, she knocked on a door, waited a moment, and, receiving no reply, knocked again, then entered. It was the Governor's room, but he was not in presence. As she turned away, old Joshua, the white-haired negro who was his Excellency's body-servant, appeared. "Where is Colonel Sharpe?" she asked. "Gone to the State House, Mis' Marfa." She nodded in dismissal and went in, leaving the door open behind her. Seating herself at the great, broad table, her glance fell on a letter, opened and spread wide. Not thinking what she did, she read:
- 42. London, 10th March, 1766. My Dear Sir: This letter will Introduce to you Sir Edward Parkington for Whom I bespeak your most courteous Attention and Regard. Extend him all the Hospitality in your power. I am, Sir, Your humble and ob'd't servant, Baltimore. To His Excellency, Col. Horatio Sharpe, Governor of Maryland. "So!" she said, "Baltimore himself sponsors Sir Edward Parkington; which may mean much for his responsibilities but little for his morals.... Well, he will serve to irritate Captain Herford; but can I use him to draw Richard Maynadier one little step along?" For a space she sat there, her forehead wrinkled in a frown. She did not hear the voices at the front door, nor the footsteps that crossed the hall, until they entered the room; then she glanced up, and a smile of welcome shone from her eyes, as the man, who was in her thoughts, stood before her. "Mr. Maynadier!" she said, extending her hand across the table. He bowed over it with easy grace. "His Excellency leaves a fair deputy." "And what can that deputy do for you?" "Much," he said. "Much that I dare not even hope. So I'll ask for only that package on the table, there." "Take it," she said—"take anything." "Anything on the table, that is?"
- 43. The smile rippled into a laugh. "Take anything in the room," she said; "there is none of them mine." He drew a chair up to the table. "May I," he said, "sit here a moment, while the Council waits?" "If you wish," she answered; "you will have to answer to the Council." He leaned back, and looked at her silently. "Miss Stirling," he said, presently, "you are a flirt." "What is that to you, sir?" she demanded. He ignored the question. "You have half the young men of Annapolis ready to pink one another, and praying but for an excuse." "Again, sir, what is that to you?" "You have Mr. Hammond, and Mr. Paca, and Mr. Jennings, and Mr. Constable, and Captain Herford mad about you." She gave him her sweetest smile. "You have forgotten Mr. Richard Maynadier," she said. "Mr. Maynadier is not in the running. He is content to look on——" "With an occasional word of advice," she cut in. "With an occasional word of advice," he agreed. "Meanwhile, content to stand afar off and view the struggle." She put both elbows on the table and leaned across. "Why view it from afar," she said, sweetly; "why not join in the struggle?" "For several reasons," he said. "First, I am too old." "I should never have guessed it."
- 44. "Second, I have not the graces that are requisite." "I had not noticed it." "And, lastly, I have not the inclination." "That, I should never have guessed." "No, I suppose not. We all are game for a pretty woman. Let a man but bow and kiss her hand, and, behold! another suitor." She sat up sharply. "Mr. Maynadier, I will make a compact with you," she said. "You say you are too old, have not the graces, and have not the inclination— so be it. A flirt may have her friends. We will be comrades—I to use no art of coquetry upon you, you to speak no word of love to me. Is it a bargain?" He regarded her with an amused smile. "If you wish it," he said. "I think we both of us are safe enough without it—though, who knows. At any rate, the flag of truce will hold us.... Now, I will back to the Council. I will see you at the races, to-morrow, of course." "Yes; and I have a pistole or two which you may put on Figaro for me," she said, accompanying him to the door. She stood and watched him, as he went down the walk toward North-East Street, and disappeared. "I wonder," she said, "I wonder.... Well, Mr. Richard Maynadier, we shall see if you cannot be taught to have the inclination."
- 45. II SIR EDWARD PARKINGTON That night, the Annapolis Coffee-house was unusually popular. The General Assembly was in session, and representatives of all the prominent families of the Colony were in attendance. The Maryland Gazette had just appeared, announcing that it would not print Samuel Chase's answer, to the Mayor and Aldermen of the City, lest it be libelous, and that Chase could issue it himself. The whole controversy was of little moment and aimed at nothing. Nevertheless, it had stirred up all the latent ill feeling, that had existed for some time between Chase and his followers, on one hand, and the old residents of Annapolis, on the other. "Chase always was a firebrand!" exclaimed young Mr. Paca; "some day, he will ignite the magazine on which he is sitting, and blow himself up." "And the quicker he does it the better," suggested Mr. Hammond. "Chase has ability, but he does not use it for good." "That is what gives me no patience with him," said Mr. Worthington. "He plays to the rabble—a queer trait for the son of a clergyman of the Church of England." "It is all for effect," said Mr. Paca; "to get clients, to get prominence; down in his heart he has the same view as we have." "That's it," said Mr. Cole, who was a bit the worse for liquor. "The fellow isn't honest." "Who is not honest?" asked a medium-sized, heavy-set man of twenty-five, who had entered the room unnoticed.
- 46. "You!" returned Cole. "You don't believe what you say; you are playing to the rabble." Chase looked at Cole closely for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "I do not argue with a drunken man, much less quarrel with one," he said. "Do any of you other gentlemen endorse his words?" "Not as spoken," said Mr. Paca; "but what we did say, is that we do not endorse your course as an official. You are the Public Prosecutor, and we do not approve of the way you use your office.—That we said, and that we stand behind." "I am very sorry if I have not pleased you," said Chase, indifferently, taking a chair beside Paca; "I understand that a public official is a free subject for criticism, and the public may impugn his motives and his judgment—with that I find no fault." "You said I was drunk," exclaimed Cole. "Did I?" said Chase. "Well, you're not—you're not. I was mistaken. I apologize." "It's granted," said Cole. "Have a drink with me.—Everybody have a drink with me. Here, Sparrow—where the devil's the fellow—take the gentlemen's orders.—Ah! sir," as a stranger appeared in the doorway, "come in; we're just going to have a drink. What will you have?" The newcomer let his eyes rest, casually, on Cole. "Permit me to decline," he said; "I was looking for some one." "Your pardon, sir," said Mr. Paca, stepping forward; "are you not Sir Edward Parkington?" "I am," he said; "at your service."
- 47. Mr. Paca extended his hand. "Permit me to introduce myself. I am William Paca; this is Mr. Hammond, and Mr. Worthington, and Mr. Cole, and Mr. Chase." Parkington acknowledged the introduction with a sweeping bow, and took the proffered chair. "What is your order, sir?" Cole persisted. "A little rum and water, if you won't excuse me." "I won't excuse you.—I won't excuse anybody," Cole averred. "Sparrow, some rum and water for Sir Edward Parkington, and make haste." "Are you here for any time?" inquired Mr. Hammond. "I should say that I am," replied Parkington. "If the hospitality I have received to-day is any test, you will not be quit of me for a year." "You honor us," said Mr. Paca. "No, I do not; I simply appreciate you. We have not got a more charming man, in London, than your Mr. Dulany; while as for your Governor, he is a true officer of his Majesty." "We have never had so popular a Governor. He is a natural leader," said Mr. Worthington. "And now, that he has bought Whitehall, and erected a spacious mansion overlooking the Bay, he has become one of us. The only pity is that we have not been able to provide him with a wife." "Not for want of charming women, I warrant." "No, not on that account—Annapolis will yield to none in the beauty of her daughters. It is said there is an old wound that rankles still." "An old wound! got in England?"
- 48. "No, got in Maryland, the very day he landed at the dock, from the good ship 'Mollie.' It is common rumor, and I violate no confidence by telling. There came with him, as secretary, one John Ridout— now, the Honorable John Ridout. He was met at the wharf by the Honorable Benjamin Tasker, President of the Council and acting Governor, who had with him his grandchild, Mary Ogle—then a mere slip of a girl of fourteen, but giving promise of rare beauty in the future. It is said, the Governor and John Ridout both fell in love that day, while they walked up Green Street, and along the Spa to the Tasker residence. Five years later, she chose the secretary, and gave the Governor nay." "And Ridout remained the Governor's secretary?" Parkington asked. "There showed the measure of the man. He is, to-day, the Commissary-General of the Province, and member of his Excellency's Council, and no one is so close to Governor Sharpe as is he." "A pretty enough story," said Parkington; "do you think it is true?" "We have no doubt of it." "Well," observed Parkington, "one warms to him marvelously easy. What ailed the lady, that she chose the subaltern when she could have had the master?" Mr. Paca laughed. "Women are a law unto themselves!" he said; "and Ridout is marvelously handsome and nearer her own age." A gurgle, ending in a prolonged snore, came from the chair beside him. "Ah! Cole slumbers. We shall hear from him no more to-night." Presently, the talk veered over to politics. Notice of the Stamp Act being repealed had come to the Colony a month before, and had been made the occasion for an ardent demonstration, though, as a matter of fact, it had been a dead statute and unenforcible, in Maryland, from the moment of its passage. An act, once it is off the books, may be condemned in most disloyal language, and no offense be given, even if it were the pet measure of a sovereign. But George
- 49. the Third was a stubborn monarch, and no sooner was the Stamp Act null and void, than a new hobby was his, and one that required no legislation to support it. And Samuel Chase, with a fine ignoring of the proprieties, soon hit upon it. "I understand," said he, "that recently an application for land, beyond the Allegheny Mountains, was refused by the Board of Trade, in London." Parkington was silent. Paca and Hammond both tried to change the conversation, but Chase would not have it. "The Board of Trade will find itself ignored," he said. "There will not be any applications. The people will simply settle, and, when they are settled, nothing but a royal army will move them off; and when a royal army invades this country, for such a purpose, it means war." With that, the rest broke in. Mr. Paca declared Chase spoke for himself alone, and Mr. Hammond that he was anticipating trouble; but Sir Edward Parkington surveyed Chase with a tolerant smile, and waved the matter aside. "Do not concern yourself to soften the views the gentleman has just expressed," he said. "They give me no offense. I am a loyal subject of his Majesty, but I think that the quicker we free America, the better for both America and England. You will leave us some day, as the child leaves the parent when it reaches maturity; the only question is, when that time comes. I take it, that Mr. Chase is not trying to be offensive, and, if no offense be intended, none is given." He arose. "If any of you are going in the direction of Reynolds' Tavern, I shall be glad for your company." Mr. Paca and Mr. Worthington attended him as far as Saint Anne's, where they parted; the two former going to their homes, on Prince George Street, while Parkington continued around the Circle to the tavern.
- 50. "Send a mug of ale to my room," he said, to the man in the ordinary.... The fellow lighted the candles, put the drink on the table, and, after a moment's wait, withdrew. Parkington unbuckled his long rapier and flung it on the bed. Then he seated himself and took a sip of the ale, stretched out his slender legs, and laughed. "Verily, the game is easier than I thought!" he soliloquized. "The real Parkington could not have played it better; I think I shall enjoy my visit to Annapolis. 'You are an unmitigated scoundrel, sir,' said my esteemed father. 'I have paid your debts for the last time; I shall give you passage to America, and one hundred pounds. Never let me look upon your face again—and, if there be a shred of decency about you, you will change your name. The De Lysles are done with you forever; have the goodness to be done with them.'" He took another sip at the ale, and laughed again. "Behold! my name is changed. I am Sir Edward Parkington, now—and Baltimore himself vouches for me. It was a lucky storm that sent the crazy 'Sally' to the bottom, and every one to the devil, save only me; but it was a luckier fortune that washed the real Sir Edward Parkington and me on the beach together, with him dead and me alive—and the letters on his person. 'There is no one in the Colony who knows me,' he had said, that very day. So, presto! Behold Sir Edward Parkington risen, and me dead.... It would be devilish awkward, if there is some one in the Colony who knows me—but that is in the future." He drew out a copy of Lord Baltimore's letter to his Excellency. "'Bespeak your most courteous attention and regard. Extend him all the hospitality in your power.' I was shipwrecked; I lost everything but the clothes on my back, and the letters, which were wrapped in oilskin, in my pocket. Therefore, I think the Governor's hospitality will have to be pressed for a loan. What, with him and Mr. Dulany, and a certain natural ability of my own at the card-table, I should be able to live very comfortably, here, for a year, at least. This Annapolis is a neat enough town—I was astonished at it; and they
- 51. seem to do things reasonably well. The Coffee-house is quite the equal of any we have in London, and the Governor's mansion and Mr. Dulany's, near-by, are excellent.... This suit of clothes, I got in Saint Mary's, will answer until Pinkney can replace my wardrobe— lost when the ship went down!" He chuckled, softly, to himself. "And the fellow is not half bad; his styles are six months behind the fashion, but that is a small matter, when every one is wearing them.... Altogether, I think Sir Edward Parkington will have a pleasant year—at least, he is going to enjoy it while it lasts. After that, the deluge."
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