1916] 
ZELLER—PHYSIOLOGY OF LENZITES SAEPIARIA 487 
remained. This was easily extracted and is what Czapek has 
called **hadromal." The iodine-sulphurie acid test for cellu- 
lose corresponds well with what we found with zine chloriodid 
— a light brown color. 
Our microchemical tests applied to the decayed wood sub- 
stantiate in the main the results obtained with the enzyme 
dispersions and other enzyme preparations, i.e., that cellulase 
and ligninase are secreted by L. saepiaria. Pectinase is both 
demonstrable in vitro and in nature, the pectinase of the 
middle lamella disappearing with the action of the fungus. 
A point of further interest is the composition of the brown 
substance left after the complete decay of the tracheids. This 
is a brittle substance which is easily crushed into a fine brown 
powder. A quantity of this brown material secured from the 
deeayed eavities of an old railroad tie was ground as finely 
as possible in a mill, and to this powder was added a dilute 
alkali. After soaking for 2 days the alkali was filtered off, 
and by adding acid to the filtrate a flocculent precipitate was 
thrown down. When dried down this precipitate shrinks and 
cracks. It is insoluble in chloroform, alcohol, ether, acetone, 
and petroleum ether, but is readily redissolved in alkali and 
may be reprecipitated with acid. This substance partakes of 
the nature of ‘‘humus’’ compounds. The remainder of the 
brown powder is much like ‘‘peat.’’ 
In the disease of Taxodium distichum known as “реску” 
cypress, von Schrenk (700”) found a similar substance which 
he called a humus compound. In the case of Taxodiwm the 
humus compounds are in a liquid form, and thus are deposited 
in the tracheids where the mass dries and cracks, ‘‘looking 
much like mud which has dried in the sun." The humus 
liquid infiltrates into the sound wood immediately surround- 
ing the decayed spots and darkens the wood in the decayed 
regions. Undoubtedly, the humus compounds found in wood 
decayed by Lenzites and by the fungus causing the peckiness 
of eypress are a direct result of the activity of the enzymes 
concerned in the decay. 
It was mentioned above that in the process of delignification, 
etc., the shell of the tracheids remaining after the last stages 
