EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



475 



The only distinct difference in tlie beliavior of the broth and milk 

 transfers is the fact that in the dnplicates from the broth cnlture, the 

 smaller inoculnm causes the smaller fermenting capacity while in the 

 milk transfers, the opposite is true in every case. It is not easy to give 

 a satisfactory explanation for this nnless Ave suppose that in sugar-free 

 broth bacteria lose the power of ])roducing the acid-forming enzyme to a 

 large extent, and it takes several generations to bring this power back 

 to the original standard. 



For the study of the literature on degeneration of lactic bacteria in 

 various media, see Weigman's article in Lafar's Handbuch der Tech- 

 nischen Mycologie, Vol. II, p. 101. 



TABLE XX. — Degeneration of Strain II in Sugar-free Broth. 



*28 hours old. 



