1916] 
Еміс--Үкавт FUNGI 273 
Botanical Garden and vicinity. The finding of yeast-like 
organisms on the seeds of native plants at once suggested 
the possibility of obtaining yeasts from foreign sources. 
Four hundred and ninety-three samples of seeds of in- 
digenous plants were received from botanical gardens of 
Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, West Indies, Central 
America, South America, and the Oceanic Islands. A quantity 
of each kind of seed was separately placed in sterilized 
test-tubes containing sterilized distilled water. These test- 
tubes were set aside for twelve hours and then gelatin plates 
were made by inoculating tubes of sterile beer-wort gelatin 
with a mm. platinum loop of the water in which the seed 
had been standing. Only two yeast-like fungi were obtained 
from these seeds, although a large number of different 
moulds and bacterial colonies were isolated. The presence 
of so few yeast-like fungi may have been due to the dry 
condition which is unfavorable for the survival of many 
such organisms. Because so few yeasts were obtained from 
foreign sources, the investigation was later restricted to the 
material available in and near St. Louis. 
Cultures of yeasts were obtained by plating from beer- 
wort gelatin inoculated with minute quantities of infected 
fruit juices. Pieces of various fruits and the basal portions 
of flowers were placed in test-tubes of sterilized water for 
about twelve hours. Pieces of fruits were also placed in 
moist chambers for about three days or more. In either 
ease gelatin plates were made by direct inoculation from the 
moist material. Holes were made in the trunks of a limited 
number of trees by means of a sterilized auger, one-eighth 
inch in diameter and extending a short distance beyond the 
cambium. After three days, samples of the tree sap that 
had collected in the cavity were transferred to test-tubes of 
sterilized distilled water by means of a sterilized platinum 
wire. Gelatin plates were then made directly from the water 
suspension after it had been standing for about twelve 
hours. Approximately 850 different sources were examined 
for yeasts. In all, 180 different strains of fungi were finally 
obtained from herbaceous seeds, fruits, fruit juices, sap of 
