Fungous Flora of the Soil 423 



His method of isolation and the principal media used in the same were 



as follows: 



The media used for isolation work consisted either of wort-gelatin in tubes or 

 in Erlenmeyer flasks, or of moist bread. The moist bread proved the more 

 advantageous. In preparation of the latter medium the bread was placed in the petri 

 dishes and only sufficient water was added to allow the bread to remain solid after 

 sterilization at 120° C. Before sterilization the dishes were wrapped in blotting paper 

 and were opened only just previous to inoculation. The plates were inoculated with 

 the particular soil (garden and wood soil principally) by means of a flamed match in 

 li(;u of the use of a platinum needle. The plates were next carefully wrapped in sterilized 

 paper and preserved in a case for that purpose. 



The species isolated by Lendner are: Ahsidia Lichtheimi (Lucet et 

 Costantin) Lendner, A. spinosa Lendner, Mucor adventitius Oud. var. 

 aurantiaca Lendner, M. genevensis Lendner, M. hoiryoides Lendner, M. 

 lamprosponis Lendner, M. griseo-cyanus Hagem, M. Jansseni Lendner, M. 

 dimorphosporus Lendner. 



Namyslowski ('10) needs mention only so far as to state that he has 

 isolated Zygorrhynchus Vuilleminii Namy., Mucor microsporus Namy., 

 and Rhizopus arrhizus Fischer from the soil. In the literature consulted, 

 nothing is stated as to the method of isolation from the soil samples. 



In this country Professors Selby and Manns ('09) have devised a method 

 that can be used to advantage in a study of the .soil flora, especially when 

 the fungi are in a sporulating stage. While the specific success that has 

 attended this method is not given, still we are led to believe that it has 

 been used to advantage . To quote from the bulletin : "Washings from the 

 soil in which diseased plants occur or washings of samples of seed grain 

 can be placed in the centrifuge (physicians' centrifuge) and there sub- 

 jected to the rotation and consequent centrifugal effects." In order to 

 be of any value in soil work, it goes without saying that platings must be 

 made from the washings. 



Rivas ('10), as the two previous workers, needs mention not because 

 of the fungi he has isolated but because of the method used in collecting 

 his soil samples. It is true that he has isolated ten cultures of molds in 

 connection with thirty cultures of bacteria, but, since no descriptions are 

 given, his work on fungi has no taxonomic value; that is, it does not 

 advance our knowledge of soil forms. His method is given in the following 

 citation : 



The soil was collected in clean test tubes, previously sterilized by dry heat at 200° 

 C. for fifteen minutes or more until a slight browning of the cotton plug took place 



('09) Selby, A. D., and Manns, Thos. F. Studies in Diseases of Cereals and 

 Grasses. Ohio Agr. Expt. Sta. Bui. 203: 191. 1909. 



('10) Namyslowski, B. Studien liber Mucorineen. Bui. Acad. Sci. Cracovie, 

 Class. Math, et Nat. ser. B. June 1910: 477-520. pi. ig. 1910. 



('10) Zygorrhynchus Vuilleminii une Nouvelle ^'Iucorinee Isolee du Sol 



et Cultivee. Ann. Myc. 8: 152-155. fig. g. 1910. 



('10) Rivas, D. Bacteria and other Fungi in Relation to the Soil. Contrib. Bot. 

 Lab. Univ. Penn. No. 3, 3: 243-274. 1910. 



