742 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Alinit, C. ScHULZE {Centbl. Agr. Cliem., 31 {1902), pp. 143-147; obs. in Jour. Roy. 

 3ficrox. Soc. [London], 1902, No. 5, p. 60S).— The author states that the AHnit bacil- 

 lus requires organic nitrogenous matter for its growth and fails to grow in nonnitrog- 

 enous solutions. Wheat was grown in pots containing EUenbach soil and ground 

 sandstone, which were divided into the series of sterilized, inoculated, and check. 

 At the conclusion of the experiments it was found that although all the pots con- 

 tained molds and various bacteria, the alinit bacillus predominated. No fixation of 

 free nitrogen had taken place, but on the contrary there was a distinct loss of nitro- 

 gen. Similar results were obtained in pot experiments exposed to the air, and neg- 

 ative results were obtained in a set of experiments to determine the effects of 

 carl)ohy<lrates as well as in field experiments of barley and oats. 



Energy of assimilation in fungi, T. Bokorny {Arch. Physiol. [PjUlger], 89 

 {1902), No. 9-10, pp. 454-474; ahs. in Jour. Boy. Micros. Soc. [London], 1902, No. 5, 

 p 587). — It was found that the assimilation energy measured by the relative increase 

 in weight is much greater for molds and yeasts than for green plants. A mold grown 

 in a medium containing glycerol and ammonium sulphate increased in weight 1,000 

 times in 28 days. Yeasts increased most rapidly in the presence of cane sugars when 

 the nitrogenous food present was peptone. Asparagin is said to be less favorable, 

 and ammonium sulphate least of all. Spirogyra is said to be able to assimilate its 

 carbon from sodium formaldehyde sulphonate in the absence of carbon dioxid, starch 

 being formed in the cells. In 5 days 0.07 gm. of a dried plant produced 0.11 mg. of 

 starch. 



Resistance of molds to metallic poisons, C Pulst {Jalirh. Wiss. Bot. [Prings- 

 heiiii], 87 {1902), No. 2, pp. 205-263; ahs. in Jour. Boy. Micros. Soc. [I^ondon], 1902, 

 No. 4, p. 472). — Cultures were made of Mucor vmcedo, Aspergillus niger, Botryiis 

 cinerea, and Penicillium glnucitm to test the effect of metallic poisons upon their devel- 

 opment. The sulphates of copper, zinc, iron, etc., were mixed with the substratum 

 upon which the molds were grown, and the effect noted upon the subsequent devel- 

 opment. The results showed that Penicillium glaucum possessed the greatest power 

 of resistance, and the other 8 were extremely sensitive to the influence of metallic 

 poisons. It was further found that molds, }iarticularly Penicillium, have the power 

 of accommodating themselves to the medium in which they are grown, and the limit 

 of resistance rises with each generation of the fungus. 



The influence of a medium on the respiration of molds, S. Kostvtschew 

 {Ber. Deut. Bot. GeselL, 20 {1902), No. 6, pp. 327-334) .—Experiments are reported 

 with Mucor stolonifer and Aspergillus niger in which the author sought to ascertain 

 whether there was any relation between the intramolecular respiration of these 

 molds and the alcoholic fermentation of yeasts. The molds were grown upon vari- 

 ous media in an atmosphere free from oxygen, and the effect of different substances 

 as influencing tlie respiration is shown. There was no evidence found to indicate 

 that intramolecular respiration and alcoholic fermentation are identical. 



A few comnicn fleshy fungi of Ames, Alice W. Hess {Iowa Stu. Bid. 61, pp. 

 148-153, jigs. 5). — Descrii)tive notes are given on a number of fungi, among them 

 Coprirms micaceous, MorcheWt csculenta, Pleurolus oslre<dus, P. sapidus, and 1' ulmarius, 

 sdso Agaricus campeslris, Lycoperdon giganteum, and Lepiota morgani. Tins last spe- 

 cies is considered l)y many to l)e poisonous, although, according to the author, it has 

 l)een eaten without injury by a number of individuals. 



New species of fungi from various localities, J. B. Ellis and E. Bartholo- 

 mew {Jour. MycoL, 8 (1902), No. 64, pp. 173-178). — Descriptions are given of about 

 2 dozen new species of fungi, most of which are saprophytic, hut a few are said to 

 occur ]iarusitically on living leaves and other parts frf plants of economic value. 



A monstrosity of Boletus luteus, C. Van Bambeke {HuI. Soc. Boy. Bot. Belg., 

 39 {1900), I, pp. 7-21, pi. 1). — An account is given ot an unusual form <jf Boletus 

 luteus which is caused by the parasitism of the fungus Hy}>omyces chrysospermus. 



