1916] 
ZELLER—PHYSIOLOGY OF LENZITES SAEPIARIA 469 
lacrymans, I was interested in the stages of decay and the 
enzymes involved in the destruction of the wood. In addition 
to the study of the enzymes, observations were made on the 
microchemical reactions of the sound, and various stages of 
the decayed, wood. These last are reported in this paper im- 
mediately after the discussion of the cytolytic enzymes, for 
the decay is more directly a result of these enzymes. 
The following are the experiments carried out in the labora- 
tory to determine the production of ligninase by Lenzites, and 
incidentally showing the action of cellulase. 
One gram of fine shavings of the sap-wood of Pinus echinata 
was placed in each of 3 test-tubes. The shavings had pre- 
viously been soaked in distilled water for 48 hours to remove 
as much of the soluble substances as possible, and subse- 
quently dried. To 1 tube were added 15 ce. of the enzyme dis- 
persion from the mycelial meal and 15 cc. of distilled water, 
to the second tube 30 cc. of distilled water, and to the third 
15 се. of distilled water and 15 со. of the enzyme dispersion 
which had been autoclaved up to 10 pounds pressure. To all 
a few drops of toluol were added. 
Fifteen days later the liquid was decanted from the shav- 
ings and filtered. The shavings were boiled in absolute 
alcohol for 10 minutes, after which the alcohol was decanted 
off and tested for Czapek's hadromal. With the addition of 
phlorogluein and hydrochloric acid, the first gave a pink color, 
while the second and third gave clear, colorless tests. 
Some of the sections (shavings) were subsequently stained 
with phloroglucin and hydrochloric acid and others with 
chloriodid of zinc. Shavings from the first tube were stained 
a deep red with phloroglucin and hydrochloric acid, but with 
chloriodid of zinc there was a yellowish color given to all the 
layers of the walls. Shavings from the second and third tubes 
gave the same color reaction with the phloroglucin as those 
from the first tube, but with the zine chloriodid the lamella 
next to the lumen was stained a light purple, while the outer 
lamellae of the wall took a yellowish color. These reactions 
show conclusively that hadromal is split off in the presence 
of an enzyme preparation from the mycelium of L. saepiaria; 
