1916] 
ZELLER—PHYSIOLOGY OF LENZITES SAEPIARIA 471 
there are probably some starches of the medullary rays hydro- 
lyzed by diastase, and coniferin hydrolyzed by emulsin, yield- 
ing glucose and coniferyl alcohol. 
To amplify the results obtained above, a few pieces of a 
pine block which had been in pure culture of L. saepiaria for 
a period of 6 months were extracted with absolute alcohol for 
10 minutes, and the amber-colored extract yielded a deep red, 
with the addition of phloroglucin and hydrochloric acid. 
A quantity of wood from a railroad tie decayed by L. 
saepiaria was extracted with alcohol for 10 hours in a 
reflux condenser. The filtered alcoholic extract obtained in 
this way was of a deep amber color. When a small portion 
was diluted to 2 volumes with alcohol and tested with phloro- 
glucin and hydrochloric acid, it gave a deep sherry-red. When 
the alcoholic extract was evaporated to dryness a hard amber- 
like residue remained. This breaks with a conchoidal frac- 
ture, and seems to be identical with Czapek’s hadromal. 
These results on a typical brown rot are the same as those 
found by Czapek (799*) for the brown rot produced by Meru- 
lius lacrymans; that is, there is a substance, which gives Ше 
lignin reaction, set free by enzyme action. In the case of 
Lenzites decay, however, the cellulose disappears as rapidly 
as it is set free, and in this respect the action is more rapid 
than in Merulius. 
The same type of experiment was repeated, using the 
enzyme dispersion prepared from the sporophoral meal, but 
there were no results worthy of mention, other than the fact 
that the shavings in all cultures gave the same tests as were 
obtained in the water control in the above series. Quantita- 
tive determinations of reducing sugars were not considered 
worth while, as the reduction of Fehling’s solution was so 
slight that no visible copper oxide was thrown down. 
Cellulase.—True or normal cellulose forms the groundwork 
of the plant cell wall in most instances. It is a complex carbo- 
hydrate of the formula (CeéH1i005)n. It is distinguished by 
its great resistance to hydrolysis and its insolubility in most 
chemical solutions. To the researches of Cross and Bevan 
(7014, ’06, 712), we are indebted for a great deal of our knowl- 
