AGEICULTTJEAL, BOTANY. 825 



vitality of the germ, and its maltiplication iu soil under the influence of various 

 factors. 



The results seem to indicate that there are imdetermined factors which afEect 

 the vitality after drying, yet it seems certain that after the rapid or sudden 

 drying out of soil cultures there remains a considerable number of living organ- 

 isms. When soil cultures are directly and rapidly dried out the number of 

 organisms found by the plate method may be not more than one-twentieth of 

 those present when the drying began. This relates, however, to excessive 

 drying. 



In cultures of this germ in sterile soil, 16,000,000 organisms per gram were 

 found after 5 days, which was considerably more than the number occurring 

 per cubic centimeter in control bouillon cultures. In other experiments sterile 

 and unsterile soils were mixed in various proportions, and the mixed material 

 inoculated. It was found that the addition of unsterile soil inhibits the multi- 

 plication of the legume germ in proportion as the amount of unsterile soil is 

 increased. 



Soil organisms which destroy cellulose, K. F. Kellebman and I. G. McBeth 

 (Ahs. in Science, n. set:, 35 {1912), No. 893, p. 227).— Attention is called to the 

 paucity of our knowledge regarding cellulose destruction in soils. It is claimed 

 that Omeliansky's conclusions that cellulose is destroyed only under anaerobic 

 conditions and gives rise either to hydrogen or methan are erroneous. 



Most of the species isolated by the authors were found to grow readily upon 

 such media as beef agar, gelatin, starch, potato, and dextrose. Some of them 

 had the power of liquefying gelatin, and although several were isolated under 

 anaerobic conditions they were found to grow equally well or better in the 

 presence of air. This shows that the destruction of cellulose by bacteria is an 

 aerobic rather than an anaerobic process. 



It has been usually supposed that filamentous fungi were of little importance 

 in agricultural soils, but the authors' investigations indicate that they play as 

 important a role as bacteria in destroying cellulose. 



The green fluorescent bacteria of maple sap, H, A. Edson and C. W. Cab- 

 PENTER {Abs. in Science, n. ser., 35 (1912), No. 893, p. 225).— A study was made 

 of the bacterial flora of maple sap, in which it was found that the green fluores- 

 cent bacteria are the most important agents in its deterioration. The bac- 

 teria feed upon the traces of protein present in the sap, but have little effect 

 upon the sugar. Forty-two strains of this group of bacteria were isolated from 

 maple sap. Thirty-three of them correspond closely with Bacterium fluorescens 

 liquefaciens, 2 resemble B. fluorescens mesentericus, and 7 are similar to B. 

 fluorescens tenuis. 



The deposition of iron on the mycelium of an aquatic fungus, G. T. Mooee 

 (Abs. in Science, n. ser., 35 (1912), No. 891, p. 153). — The author reported the 

 encrustation with iron of the mycelium from germinating spores of an aquatic 

 fungus. The deposition of iron was not considered a vital one, as has been 

 supposed for the so-called iron bacteria. 



Observations on injurious effects of toxic substances on the olive tree, L. 

 Petri (Centbh Bald, [etc.], 2. Abt., 28 (1910), No. J,-5, pp. 153-159, figs. 2).— 

 This is a study of the effects of metallic salts on olive seedlings. The sub- 

 stances employed were sulphates of copper, zinc, and lithium, chlorids of sodium, 

 cobalt, and nickel, and acetate of uranium. These were applied to the roots 

 either in the form of solutions mingled with the usual water supply of the 

 plants, or as powder sprinkled upon the surface of the earth in which they 

 stood and carried down with the regular watering. The experiments, begun 

 in March, 1907, did not yield definite results until the summer and autumn of 

 1908. 



