Fungous Flora of the Soil 421 



Hagem ('08, '10) isolated the following eighteen species of Mucorales, 

 nine of which are new to science: Ahsidia Orchidis (Vuill.) Hagem, A. 

 glauca Hagem, A. spinosa Lendner (syn. Mucor Norvegicus Hagem), 

 Mucor Ramannianus Moller, M. hiemalis Wehm., M. strictus Hagem, M. 

 mucedo (Linne) Bref., M. Christianiensis Hagem, M. dispersus Hagem, M. 

 sylvaticus Hagem, M. flavus Bainier, M. genevensis Lendner, M. racemosus 

 Fres., M. griseo-cyanus Hagem, M.corticolus Hagem, M.plumhens Bonord., 

 M. sphaerosporiis Hagem, M. saturninus Hagem. He has also isolated 

 four species of Actinomyces. His work on the species of Actinomyces 

 was instituted primarily in order to study the distribution of animal 

 pathogenic forms. As yet he has not succeeded in connecting any patho- 

 gens with those found in his culture work. The paper " Untersuchungen 

 uber Norwegische Mucorineen, H" is principally a biochemical study 

 having for its basis the species of Mucor isolated from the soil. Of in- 

 terest to us in this connection is Chapter I, " Die Verbreitung der Muco- 

 rineen im Erdboden," in which a general discussion is given of the 

 distribution of these fungi in various soils. The two other papers deal 

 with descriptions of isolated species and technic. To Hagem must be 

 given foremost rank among the investigators of soil organisms as to mor- 

 phological as well as biochemical studies. 



His soil samples were taken as follows: 



In order to investigate the Mucorale content of a soil sample, it is usually sufficient 

 to sprinkle three to four petri dishes with small amounts of soil. The colonies spread 

 very quickly over the substratum and must be transferred to new substrata again and 

 again as soon as fructification begins. The smaller forms, as M. Ramannianus and 

 Zygorrhynchus Moelleri, are very easily overgrown by larger forms, as M. hiemalis, and 

 it is therefore appropriate to use a great number of plates and to inoculate each plate 

 with a few small particles of soil. 



Hagem has investigated, for their Mucorale content, different soils such 

 as arable, meadow, garden, wood, and the like. To this end, either the 

 samples of soil were taken at the locality and placed in sterilized reagent 

 flasks and then brought to the laboratory, where petri dishes containing 

 wort-agar were inoculated; or the dishes were taken to the field, where 

 they were inoculated with small particles of soil transferred by means of 

 sterile forceps. 



The method of obtaining pure cultures is worthy of somewhat detailed 

 description, particularly since so much is written concerning heterothallic 

 species exhibiting homothallicism, and vice versa. It is quite possible 



('08) Hagem, Oscar. Untersuchungen iiber Norwegische Mucorineen i : 1-50. fig. 

 22. 1908. (Reprint from Vid.-Selsk. Skr. I, Math.-Naturv. Klasse No. 7, 1907.) 



('10) Untersuchungen iiber Norwegische Mucorineen 2: 1-152. 1910. 



(Reprint from Vid.-Selsk. Skr. I, Math.-Naturv. Klasse No. 4, 19 10.) 



('10) Neue Untersuchungen uber Norwegische Mucorineen. Ann. Myc. 



8: 265-279. figs. 1-8. 1910. 



('10) Einige Beobachtungen iiber die Verbreitung der Actinomycetes in 



derNatur. Vid.-Selsk. Skr. I, Math.-Naturv. Klasse No. 7,197-205. 1910. 



