SUGGESTED LABORATORY EXERCISES 



Each of the laboratory exercises is designed to ilKistrate one or more 

 important principles regarding the phj'siological activities of the fungi. 

 Each represents a more or less complete unit or phase, but there is neces- 

 sarily some overlapping and duplication of the techniques. Laboratory 

 exercises requiring greenhouse space and living plants have been omitted. 

 This does not mean that an understanding of the cultural activities should 

 be the only aim of the laboratory work. Rather, it is believed that such 

 information regarding the nutritional and environmental requirements of 

 fungi in pure culture will aid in the better understanding of the behavior 

 of both parasitic and nonparasitic fungi in nature. 



The laboratory exercises are planned so as to allow a high degree of 

 flexibility. The instructor may wish to omit, change, or add to some of 

 the suggested exercises to suit the equipment and other facilities available. 

 The exercises are outlined to require a minimum of laboratory equipment. 

 Any or all of the exercises may be expanded or shortened as desired for a 

 large or small number of students. 



Each student should select one or more laboratory exercises in which 

 he has a particular interest. He may then be designated as the leader 

 of that exercise or exercises. His duties would include (1) the general 

 planning of the exercise in consultation ^^^th the instructor, (2) the direct- 

 ing of the execution of the exercise, (3) collecting and organization of the 

 data from other students, and (4) the writing of a comprehensive report 

 on the subject. References should be read and discussed in comparison 

 with the results of the experiments in the laboratory. 



The supply of test fungi is almost unlimited. In most exercises each 

 student will use two or more species of fungi. The total number for the 

 class should be sufficiently large to emphasize the differences as well as 

 the similarities that exist among various fungi. In many instances our 

 knowledge is limited, and little or nothing has been published regarding 

 the physiology of some of the species used. In this sense, much of the 

 work done in the laboratory will be experimental and should be carried 

 out with all the care of a research problem. Fungi should be selected 

 so that both growth and sporulation may be studied in the same experi- 

 ment. In each exercise are listed a few fungi, some of which have been 

 used in our laboratory and have given quite satisfactory results. Other 

 species may be added or substituted. 



Notes should be recorded in a full-sized permanent notebook reserved 



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