LEGUMINOSZ. SAS 
q and that it is not merely the dried secretions of the plant. 
_ The investigations of other observers also demonstrated that 
cherry and some other gums were formed by a similar process, 
_ but no-information was obtained of the causes which led to 
these metamorphoses. The observations of Beijerinck and of 
3 Wiesner, however, point to the conclusion that in at least 
_ Several instances gum is formed by a pathological process — 
__ brought about by the influence of a fungus, or of a peculiar 
_ ferment allied to diastase and termed by Wiesner a ‘ diastatic: 
q enzyme,” but differing from the ordinary members of the 
a group in that, whilst it converts starch into dextrine, it pro- 
a duces no sugar reducing T'rommer’s reagent. The diastatic 
_ character of the gum was inferred from its behaviour in 
The observation that heated or long boiled pieces of gum | 
ould not produce this effect, and that wounds made in the 
bark did not produce gum unless a portion was first introduced 
into it, led him to suppose that the formation of gum was dué 
to the presence of. bacteria or other living organisms. On 
belonging io the Ascomycetes, had the power of conveying the 
gum disease or gummosis. The fungus producing the gum- 
mosis of species of acacia of Africa ha§ been named Pleospora 
gummipara, Oudemans. Another fungus, Coryneum Betjertnekit 
causes the gummosis of the Amygdalw. Beijerinck believes that 
the fungus produces a fluid of the nature of a ferment, which 
penetrates the adjacent structures, since the disease extends 
starch granules, and other constituents of the cells, trans- 
forming them into gum, and* even changing into gam the 
fungus itself. In all the gums examined by the writer, fungus 
ores were observed, and in many cases govidial forms and 
: * Pharm. Journ., 3-14-661 and 3-16-2865. 
