GENERAL INFORMATION g 



the drop by means of a very fine platinum needle, 

 then invert and place over the cardboard (B). The 

 drop of nutriment which has been inoculated with 

 the desired spores now hangs from the cover glass 

 in the chamber (C) formed by the slide below, the 

 hole in the cardboard, and the cover glass above. 

 Without disturbing this in any way the growth of 

 the spores may be studied by frequent examination 

 under the microscope/ 



The change which spores undergo when placed 

 upon such a drop depends upon the composition of 

 the liquid forming the drop, and in part to the sur- 

 rounding conditions. The spores of many parasitic 

 fungi refuse to germinate in almost any solution ; 

 others will germinate in one solution but not in 

 another, e.g. spores of Tilletia (bunt) germinate 

 freely in water but refuse to grow when placed in 

 drops of food solutions. Then again some spores 

 give different changes in different liquids, e.g. 

 spores of Ustilago (smut) germinate in water and 

 very dilute food solutions ; but in solutions contain- 

 ing abundant nutriment they multiply by a process 

 called budding. 



The typical germination of a spore consists in the 

 protrusion of a portion of the wall which gradually 

 develops into a delicate tube (Fig. 6, B) ; this 



^ It is advisable to keep at a medium temperature, and place in- 

 side moist chambers, as this keeps the drop of nutriment from dry- 

 ing up. 



