FERMENTATION BACTERIOLOGY . 



445 



From this table it is shown that while the surface soil of the cultivated plat had 

 the highest temperature, the difference for the lower strata was less than for the 

 surface. The moisture determinations are shown in the following table: 



Table showing percentage of moisture in the 2 plats. 



Depth. 



Hoed plat. 



Purslane 

 plat. 



In favor of 

 hoed. 



Surface soil, first 7 inches 

 Subsurface, 7 to 21 inches 



Per cent. 

 23.7 

 22.3 



Per cent. 

 18.5 

 19.5 



Per cent. 

 5.2 

 2.8 



The results obtained in this determination show that when compared with the 

 table showing the temperature, in spite of the fact of the purslane-covered plats being 

 cooler, there was a decided decrease in the amount of moisture in the soil and sub- 

 soil. The author has calculated the amount of water evaporated by the purslane 

 over that evaporated from the cultivated soil and found that it amounted to almost 

 exactly one inch during the time of the experiment, which was limited to 12 days. 



Some metabolism products of peas attacked by Aspergillus niger, J. 

 Kosjatschenko (Zhur. Opuitn. Agron. [Jour. Expt. Landiv.'j, 1903, No. 4, pp- 439-450; 

 abs. in Bot. Centbl., 95 (1904), No. 22, p. 590). — The author has investigated the 

 metabolism products of proteids in peas when attacked by Aspergillus niger. After 

 64 days' cultivation of the fungus on ground pea meal, the author found present 

 tyrosin, leucin, ammonia, histidin, arginin, and lysin. 



FERMENTATION— BACTERIOLOGY. 



Experiments on the transformation and fixation of nitrogen by bacteria, 

 J. G. Lipman (New Jersey Stas. Rpt. 1903, pp. 217-285, pis. 2). — A report is given of 

 investigations made to determine the behavior of bacterial mixtures, as they are 

 found in fresh soils, in nitrogen-rich and in nitrogen-poor solutions; to determine 

 what gains or losses of nitrogen may occur, and to study isolation in pure culture 

 and physiological and morphological characteristics of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. 

 Considerable attention is given to methods of isolation, and the conditions under 

 which fixation by atmospheric nitrogen may be accomplished in the laboratory. A 

 number of nitrogen-fixing organisms were isolated in pure cultures and the results 

 of studies made with them are given in detail. 



The author isolated a species of Azotobacter from soil which showed marked 

 capabilities of assimilation of nitrogen. These organisms were found to occur 

 abundantly in certain soils of the State, and the organism as shown by its cultural 

 characteristics is described. The name A. linelandii has been given it. In connec- 

 tion with studies of this organism others were isolated, especially species of Bacillus, 

 some of which seem to be closely associated with the Azotobacter. It is believed 

 that one species, Bacillus 30, exists in symbiosis with A. vinelandii, and inoculation 

 experiments showed a decided increase in the amount of nitrogen fixed where the 

 two organisms are used in conjunction. Each species was found capable of assimi- 

 lating and fixing atmospheric nitrogen when grown separately in culture media, but 

 when grown together the amount of nitrogen fixed was increased many-fold. 



A contribution to the study of fermentation, I, E. H. Twight and C. S. Ash 

 (California Sta. Bid. 159, pp. 26, figs. 16). — An account is given of cooperative inves- 

 tigations between the California Station and the California Wine Association, in 

 which a study was made of the influence of temperature and of acidity of must on 

 fermentation, the influence of selected cultivated yeasts as compared with the natural 

 or wild yeasts, and the comparative value of wines derived from these experiments. 



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