66 College of Forestry 
GERMINATION OF THE SPORES. 
Methods.— Spores were obtained in most cases from 
sporophores (dessicated or otherwise) gathered as needed 
from a nearby tree. The sporophores on this particular tree 
remained in a state of dessication throughout the winter, so 
that spores could be obtained whenever needed. In some 
instances dessicated sporophores were stored in the labora- 
tory and revived at will by soaking in sterile distilled water, 
after which they were placed in sterile petri dishes. In this 
way the spore prints were obtained on sterile glass plates. 
The germination tests were made in the usual way in van 
Tieghem cells, using various nutrient media. All cultures 
were made in the laboratory at ordinary room temperatures. 
It was found that germination of the spores took place readily 
in any medium that was reasonably suitable for fungous 
growth. As a general rule a few spores invariably germi- 
nated after eighteen hours’ time. Occasionally a few spores 
germinated as early as sixteen hours after their introduction 
into the hanging drop culture. In general, at the end of 
twenty-four hours the majority of the spores were germi- 
nated. Temperature seemed to be the main factor govern- 
ing the time required for germination. The presence or 
absence of light made no perceptible difference in the length 
of time required for germination. The effect of direct sun- 
light, however, adn Buller (1909) showed to retard the 
germination of spores of Schizophyllum commune Fr., was 
not tried. The use of different culture media did not “have 
any marked effect upon the interval of time between the 
introduction of the spores into the hanging drop and the 
first signs of germination. The percentage and regularity of 
germination, howev er, was directly proportional to the suit- 
ability of the culture medium used. The germination of the 
spores, of course, was studied in the more favorable culture 
media. 
Description of Germination.— Germination was found to 
occur generally, although by no means always, at the apicu- 
late end of the spore. “Almost always a single germ tube is 
