438 G. p. PLAISANCE AND B. W. HAMMER 



only traces of mannitol were found and it seems probable that 

 this came from the small amounts of hexose sugars present 

 in the juice. In the light of these tests it seems difficult to 

 explain the value of the cane sugar in the stover juice, stover 

 silos, etc.; it is entirely possible, however, that inversion might 

 have occurred in some cases, even if not with juice x. By the 

 addition of 5 per cent invert sugar to juice x, sterilization, 

 and the inoculation of mannitol-producing organisms consid- 

 erable quantities of mannitol were secured; growth was appar- 

 ently very rapid and there was usually a pronounced change in 

 color and the evolution of considerable gas. When honey 

 (usually 8 per cent was used) was added to juice x, there was 



TABLE 3 

 Mannitol in silage made from stover plus various s^ibstances , room temperature 



incubation 



an exceptionally heavy gas production, a pronounced change in 

 color and the formation of considerable quantities of mannitol. 

 A series of silos was made by cutting up corn stover (con- 

 taining practically no sugars) adding various substances, pack- 

 ing in Mason jars and then sterilizing, after which organism 

 M39 was inoculated. The results of mannitol determinations 

 made on the silage after a suitable holding period at room 

 temperature are shown in table 3. From the data presented 

 it is evident that fructose and inulin yielded mannitol while 

 glycerol, galactose, glucose, maltose, lactose and starch did not. 

 Many lots of silage made by inoculating various organisms 

 into sterilized stover plus sucrose have, as already stated, yielded 

 mannitol. 



