460 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



The cans of peas examined were chosen from a number of so-called "flat 

 sours" brought in by Mr. Glenn Kies, November 28, 1918. The cans were 

 numbered III, IV and VII. 



Can III. The contents of this can were slightly bleached. This condition 

 is similar to that observed by Duckwall in canned soured peas. A white 

 sediment was present in the bottom of the can. The peas had a distinctly 

 sour taste. A slight vacuum was present. The pH values of the juice were 

 determined by the colorimetric method. 



Table 1. — pH of Pea Liquor in Cans Studied. 



Normal Peas 6.2 



Can III 4.8 



Can IV 5.3 



Can VII 5.3 



Can IV. This can was normal in appearance, and showed a slight vacuum. 

 Can VII was identical with Can IV in appearance and in the behaviour of 

 the plates. 



All the cans used were treated in the following manner: The whole can 

 was first washed in water, then the cover and neck were immersed, top side 

 down, in 1-500 mercuric solution for five minutes; then a little alcohol was 

 poured on the cover and burned. 



The three cans numbered III, IV and VII were opened, plated by the loop 

 dilution method and incubated both aerobically and anaerobically at 20°, 

 37° and 55° C. respectively. 



The anaerobic plates were made as follows : After the inoculated plate was 

 poured and had hardened a second tube of melted pea agar was poured over 

 the solid medium. When this hardened it was covered with a layer of melted 

 paraffin, which had been previously heated until smoking hot, then cooled to 

 about 60° C. 



Plates from the three cans gave the following results: 



Can IV. No colonies developed. 



Can VII. Same as IV. Cans IV and VII apparently were sterile. 



Can III. Plates contained acid colonies in twenty-four hours at 37° and 

 55°, and in forty-eight hours at 20°. 



Isolations of acid-forming colonies were made in pea agar shakes. 



I. 37° aerobic — 2 thin spreading colonies. 



II. 37° aerobic — 2 colonies. 



III. 55° aerobic^3 colonies are coarsely granular, near margin and have 



a finely granular center which protrudes above the surface. 



IV. 55° aeroljic — 3 small, wrinkled, white colonies. 



V. 37° anaerobic — 2 colonies — look like subsurface colonies of Bac- 



terium lactis acidi. 



VI. 55° anaerobic — 3 thin, concentrically ringed colonies. 



VII. 55° anaerobic — 3 thin, spreading colonies. 



VIII. 20° anaerobic — 1 very transparent colony. 



IX. 20° aerobic — -1 translucent, white colony. 



X. 20° aerobic — 1 subsurface colony. 



XI. 20° aerobic — transparent white colony. 



XII. 20° aerobic — 1 colony with crumpled white surface. 



