466 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Bacillus XI A 



I. Morphology: 



1. Vegetative cells: 



Slender rods occurring singty and in short filaments. 



2. Endospore: 



Position — ^near end. 

 Form — oval. 



3. Motility: 



Actively motile. 



4. Staining: 



Stains well with methylen blue. Gram negative. 



II. Cultural Characteristics: 



1. Agar Slant: 



Growth moderate, filiform, raised, glistening, smooth, opaque, 

 white, slimy. 



2. Gelatin stab : 



Growth best at top. Liquefaction stratiform, liquefied part 

 clouded. 



3. Broth culture: 



Slimy, white membrane on surface. 



4. Potato culture: 



Growi-h like Avater blisters; transparent becoming opaque. 

 Faintly pink. 



5. Litmus milk: 



Slimy rennet curd. Rapid peptonization. 



III. Physical and Biochemical Features: 



1. Temperature relations: 



Optimum temperature range — 37°-55°C. Grows well at 20°c. 



All the organisms were inoculated into tubes of peas covered with sterile 

 paraffin oil and incubated at the three temperatures employed previously 

 and the juice of each tested for its pH value with the following results: 



Table II. — PH of Pea Liquor in Inoculated Tubes 



In all but one case rise in acidity was as rapid or even more rapid at 20° 

 than at 55°. This would indicate that a souring caused by these organisms 

 would develop at room temperature as readily as at higher temperatures. 



