BACTERIA DECOMPOSING CELLULOSES 205 



on inorganic and organic media to which a few drops of n-hexan was 

 added; it is 2 by 1.5/* in size, motile by means of peritrichic fiagella, 

 Gram-negative and grows well with aliphatic hydrocarbons as the only 

 source of carbon and energy. The second organism was isolated on 

 media containing naphthenes as cyclohexan and 1-3 dimethylcyclo- 

 hexan. It is similar to the first organism, but is strongly proteolytic. 

 The third organism was isolated on selective media consisting of inor- 

 ganic solutions and paraffin oil. In liquid media, the organism forms 

 motile rods, 4 to 6 by 2/z, developing into long chains. Rapid spore 

 formation is characteristic and it is, therefore, related to B. subtilis. 



Various bacteria capable of oxidizing phenol to C0 2 , pyrocatechin to 

 oxychinon, benzol to fatty acids and C0 2 , and capable of decomposing 

 toluol, xylol and guajacol were isolated from the soil. 49 



Aerobic Clostridia, Bad. fluorescens group and Mycobacteria, are 

 also concerned in the decomposition of phenols, cresols and related 

 compounds in the soil. 



49 Wagner, R. fiber Benzol-Bakterien. Ztschr. Garungsphysiol. 4: 289-319. 

 1914. 



