SCHIZOMYCETES. 



Bacteria. German, Spaltpilze. The fungi under this group 

 are without a mycelium ; consisting mainly of very minute 

 organisms of different shapes and motile power. Their size is 

 different, but mainly below two micromillimeter thick. They 

 reproduce by segmentation or fission. From this mode of 

 reproduction the Germans name them Spaltpilze, meaning to 

 split or divide. Some species are beneficial in producing 

 decomposition, in introducing nitrate into the soil, and thus 

 fertilizing the farmers' fields ; while others are exceedingly 

 injurious in producing such diseases as tubercular consumption, 

 smallpox, diphtheria, etc. 



In any kind of fluid that has organic matter in it forms a 

 culture fluid, and their multiplication is immense. A clear 

 fluid will soon be turned to a cloudy liquid, with a dirty scum 

 on top, called zoogloea. This is a wonderful group of minute 

 organisms. The motile property of these organisms is indeed 

 unique for vegetable life, and yet we have it in Myxomycetes, 

 Phycomycetes, and quite common in Algae. 



It is an important fact that by appropriate cultures, modi- 

 fying the organism, so that by inoculation with the milder 

 germs, the disease is produced in a milder form, m passing 

 repeatedly through animals they become exempt from that 

 particular disease for some time to come. 



Order. I. BACTBRIACE^. 



Mycelium wanting, reproduces principally by segmentation, 



can be cultured in a culture fluid The genera included under 



this natural order are numerous. I shall only mention a few. 



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