multiple, showed a tendency to emerge at or near the somatic 

 poles. This same tendency may be observed in other genera of 

 poorly flagellated peritrichous bacteria and is not characteristic 

 of rhizobia alone. A "monotrichous" individual may thus have a 

 polar, a subpolar, or a lateral flagellum. By observing several in- 

 dividuals, one with a lateral flagellum or one with several flagella 

 will usually be found and thus establish the flagellation as peri- 

 trichous. Another difference between the two types of flagellation 

 is the flagellar wavelengths. The mean wavelengths of the normal 

 subpolar flagella ranges from 1.9 microns to 2.2 microns, and of 

 the peritrichous flagella from 1.3 microns to 1.6 microns. 



Flagellar Variations 



The peritrichous cultures showed no definite variations. The 

 most striking variation was observed in the subpolar group. Strain 

 3Ilb59 of the soybean group showed many individuals with one 

 or more flagella with very short wavelength (curly) in addition 

 to the normal flagellum. Strain 3I2bl (from Erijfhrina indica) 

 showed the same type of variants. In a few instances an organism 

 was found with the curly flagella only. In most cases, however, 

 the normal long wavelength flagellum was present. The curly 

 flagella appeared to originate at the same locus as the normal 

 flagellum. The wavelength of the curly flagella was very uniform, 

 averaging 0.75 micron or about 1/3 that of the normal subpolar 

 flagella. 



71 



