FERMENTATION BACTERIOLOGY. 1015 



micro-organisms of tobacco xermentation. Since tobacco is said to be 

 fermented at temperatures ranging from 50 to 60° C, the investigation 

 was confined to organisms living at this temperature. By means of 

 agar plates cultures were made from fermenting leaves and at about 

 5(P temperature colonies were developed. These were principally of a 

 single species; although others were present, tliey were not constant. 

 The species isolated from the fermeuting tobacco leaves is a bacillus of 

 the subtilis group and is spore-forming. It is 2.4 u in length and 0.5 

 jx in diameter. It grows readily upon agar, nutrient gelatin, liquefy- 

 ing the latter, and in bouillon and tobacco decoction. Its optimum 

 temperature for growth was about 50°, although it remained living at 

 room temperatures. Upon proteid media it forms ammonia. The 

 investigations are to be continued and the bacterial flora of tobacco 

 leaves before and during fermentation fully studied. 



Experiments with -wine ferments in France {Gard. Citron., 3. ser., 

 23 {1898), Xo. 610, pp. 171-176). — The use of wine ferments by the wine 

 growers of France has been a subject of considerable earnest investiga- 

 tion, and it is asserted that the quality of many wines can be improved 

 by tbe use of the proper ferments. Brief quotations are given from 

 consular and other publications showing the method of employing the 

 ferments. The directions for preparing the ferments are given, and it 

 is stated that 1 liter of select ferment is used with the juice of from 

 40 to 50 lbs. of grapes for every 1,000 gal. of must. If properly made, 

 tbe yeast ferments and is ready for use in 50 to 60 hours after beginning 

 the preparation. 



On the presence in germinating barley of a ferment capable of 

 dissolving pectin, E. Bourqttelot and H. Herissey (Conqrt. Rend. 

 Acad. Sci. Paris, 127 {1898), Xo. 3, pp. 191-194).— -The authors report 

 the presence in germinating barley of a diastase, which they have sep- 

 arated by drying the germinating barley at a temperature of from 30° 

 to 35° C. The barley is then ground and macerated for 12 hours in 

 chloroform water, after which it is allowed to settle, removed, filtered, 

 and precipitated with alcohol. The precipitate is collected on a filter, 

 rapidly washed with alcohol and afterwards with ether, and finally dried 

 in a vacuum. Numerous experiments are reported in which this sub- 

 stance was shown to reduce pectin, and the authors state that on 

 account of the lack of information concerning soluble ferments no pos- 

 itive demonstration can be made, yet it is believed a tenable hypothesis 

 that germinating barley contains a diastase somewhat similar to amy- 

 lose and trehalose, which is capable of reducing the pectin found in 

 gentians. 



Concerning some of the less known important functions of 

 micro-organisms, C. Wehmer (Chem. Ztg., 22 {1898), Xo. 103, pp.1079- 

 1082). — After briefly reviewing some of the more common forms of fer- 

 mentation brought about by bacteria and fungi, the author enumerates 

 a number of the less common ones, briefly describing the processes 

 taking place. Among those mentioned are Maercker's acid method 



