144. DopcE: METHODS OF CULTURE OF ASCOBOLACEAE 
Harper (1896) describes the ascogonium of Ascobolus furfura- 
ceus as it appears from the time it is completely inclosed with in- 
vesting hyphae. In this stage the ascogonium consists of a coil 
of several large cells. Large pores are already formed in the trans- 
verse walls, thus bringing the contents of the cells of the row into 
direct connection. The ascogenous hyphae develop from the 
entire surface of the ascogenous cell. 
Miss Ternetz (1900) finds that ascospores of Ascophanus 
carneus germinate readily in dung decoctions or in dung decoction 
agar. Cultures kept in a dark room do not develop fruit. The 
ascogonium arises as a branch of the mycelium. The stalk con- 
sists of two to five cells, easily distinguished from the larger and 
more granular cells of the ascogonium. The coil makes one or 
two turns, including in this region six or eight cells, and ends in a 
septate filament which varies considerably in length. It usually 
contains two or three cells but it may continue to grow out and 
give rise to another ascogonium. She found no evidence of the 
existence of an antheridium. 
Massee and Salmon (1901, 1902) conducted a series of experi- 
ments on spore germination in species of Ascobolus. They found 
that the spores of Ascobolus albidus and A. perplexans would not 
germinate at 16° C. in dung decoction but did germinate at 27° C. 
A. albidus grown on dung in a closed tin box, shot the spores on the 
cover of the box, where they germinated and are said to have 
produced ascocarps. Spores taken from the ascocarps on the 
box cover were grown in a nutrient medium, and ascocarps were 
developed. They found that spores from these ascocarps would 
not germinate after passing through the alimentary canal of a 
guinea pig but did germinate at ordinary temperatures in tap 
water. They drew the very doubtful conclusion from this, that 
all dung-growing species of Ascobolus originally grew on earth 
where the spores would germinate easily at low temperatures. 
After one generation on the cover of the box and a second in af 
artificial medium made of plum jam and gelatin, Ascobolus albidus 
had reverted to its original terrestrial habit. 
Molliard (1903) believes that the presence of certain bacteria 
favors the production of ascocarps by Ascobolus. He germinated 
the spores of A. furfuraceus in some way which he does not describe, 
