FUNGI. 303 



and other vegetable substances ; the effect in most 

 cases being to cause a fermentation which resulted in 

 the production of vinegar." 



" In another experiment a quantity of raw sugar, 

 treacle, and water were put into a jar, without any 

 plant being introduced, and they were left untouched 

 for four months. When examined, a growth like 

 that of the vinegar-plant was formed. The plant 

 was removed and put into fresh syrup, and again the 

 production of vinegar took place." 



It would appear from experiment, that when 

 purified white sugar alone is used to form syrup, the 

 plant when placed in it does not produce vinegar so 

 readily, the length of time required for the changes 

 varying from four to six months. 



Mr. H. J. Slack has also published some observa- 

 tions on this singular organism, which may be quoted 

 in illustration of the views which have prevailed at 

 different periods during the past half century. He 

 says,^ "The 'Micrographic Dictionary' observes that 

 from various observations, the vinegar-plant may be 

 regarded as the mycelium of Penicillium glanaim 

 vegetating actively, and increasing also by crops of 

 gonidia or gemmae. It adds that ' the moniliform 

 growth is at the same time scarcely distinguishable 

 from the yeast-plant by any satisfactory character, 

 and repeated observations strongly impress us with 

 the idea that these objects are all referable to one 

 species — the vinegar-plant being the form of vege- 

 tative growth taking place at low or ordinary tem- 

 peratures in highly saccharine liquids ; while the true 



» " The Vinegar Plant," by H. J. Slack, in Intellectual Observer. 



