382 Journal of Agricultural Research voi.xiii, no. 7 



pseudozoogloese, grows in clumps very quickly in some of the liquid 

 media — for example, in beef bouillon — and when first isolated it pro- 

 duces a very offensive odor. About 4 or 5 months after isolation, the 

 odor was considerably less, and in 8 months none of it could be detected. 



BEHAVIOR TOWARD STAINS 



The organism^ stains very readily in methyl violet, carbol fuchsin, 

 safranin, and dahlia. It is Gram-negative, and is not acid-fast. 



CULTURAL CHARACTERS 



This organism grows readily in most of the media, and is a much 

 more rapid grower than either Bad. viiians or Bad. viridilividum. It 

 belongs to the green fluorescent group. Beef bouillon ( + 15) is a very 

 successful medium. In fact, growth took place too rapidly in this 

 medium for many tests where a thinly clouded culture was needed, and 

 low temperatures had to be used as soon as the transfer was made, or an 

 acid bouillon or a 5 per cent sodium-chlorid bouillon used to delay the 

 too rapid grovrth. 



BeEF-agar plates. — Colonies appear in from 24 to 48 hours when 

 poured from a young bouillon culture. The temperature of the room 

 may vary from 22^ to 30° C. At first the surface colonies are a faint 

 bluish white, then cream color, and later a yellowish color; they vary in 

 size from 3 to 7 mm. in diameter, are round, smooth, occasionally con- 

 voluted, thin; at first there are fine surface markings which disappear 

 as the colonies get older (PI. 35, E). The agar becomes yellow-green. 



Agar stroke. — The growth in 2 days is thin, spreading, yellow. The 

 agar just below the surface is a viridine green. The surface of growth is 

 rather finely papillate than smooth. In 10 days all the agar is colored 

 Javel green; the growth is abundant, glistening, viscid. 



Agar stab. — The surface growth is rapid, but growth is feeble along 

 the stab. At 2 days it is cream-colored with no discoloration of agar. 

 In 7 days growth is yellow and nearly covers the surface; the agar is 

 viridine green just below the growth at the surface and along the stab. 

 Crystals appear belovr the surface. 



Beef bouillon. — Peptonized -\-i^ beef bouillon is clouded very 

 readily in 1*8 to 24 hours at temperatures of 20° to 30° C. At tempera- 

 tures of 5° to 11° it is thinly clouded in 24 hours. Usually a pellicle 

 which breaks up easily has developed in 3 da)'s; the bouillon is viridine 

 green at the surface and for about 2 cm. down. In 6 days the upper part 

 of the medium is apple-green, and besides the pellicle there is a white 

 precipitate. In 30 days there is a heavy viscid growth at the bottom of 

 the tube; the bouillon is clear; and the color is olive-ocher. 



Bouillon over chloroform. — Chloroform does not retard the growth. 

 Clouding takes place in 24 hours, and a heavy growth fallows. 



