DopGE: METHODs OF CULTURE OF ASCOBOLACEAE 187 
regarding the germination of the spores of certain species of the 
Ascobolaceae, and any experiments on germination should take into 
account this apparent variability in the tendency of the spores 
to germinate under given conditions. None the less it is clear from 
my experiments that the spores of Ascobolus in general will not 
germinate in culture media at ordinary temperatures. 
It has been recognized by many investigators that exposure 
to rather high temperatures favors the germination of spores as 
well as the germination of seeds. It is also well known that tem- 
peratures of 50°-60° C. do not kill the spores of certain species of 
fungi. I have been unable to find any account of germination 
effected at temperatures of 50°-60° C. when much lower tempera- 
tures would not have proved even more satisfactory. As the 
experiments here described have shown, the spores of certain 
species of A scobolus, Ascophanus, Thecotheus, and Lasiobolus could 
be made to germinate abundantly by heating them to 50°-70° C. 
for a short time. The method of artificial culture that I have 
employed differs from others mainly in this fact, that I have sub- 
jected the spores to high temperatures for short periods as a 
means of inducing germination when longer exposures at lower 
temperatures were not effective. It may be that high tempera- 
se bring about chemical changes analogous to the changes that 
might be produced at low temperatures during longer periods. It 
1S a striking fact that half-grown spores of Ascobolus carbonarius 
germinated readily after being heated to 60°-70° C. 
I have made a few experiments on non-coprophilous Discomy- 
— which, however, were too limited to show whether the 
ie Process was especially effective in connection with dung- 
Srowing fungi only. My experiments with Ascobolus suggest that 
pres unusual treatments may be effective in stimulating ger- 
sation in the case of forms that have hitherto proved entirely 
rsistant. It is especially interesting to note that heating not only 
avors germination but at the same time kills off other fungi which 
rurally Stow along with the Ascobolus on the dung. Still 
certain Species of the Sordariaceae germinate at ordinary tem- 
Peratures in dung decoctions and many of these are not killed at 
€r temperatures; in fact, some of them appear also to 
these high 
be stimulated by the process. 
