[Vor. 7 
68 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 
processes so as to distribute the resin more evenly, is a worthy 
project of investigation of this important problem in these 
industries. 
SPORE GERMINATION ON Woop 
The spores of wood-destroying fungi exhibit a marked simi- 
larity with regard to their requirements for germination. Some 
of the factors which influence germination are proper tempera- 
ture and proper amounts of acidity and moisture. As early as 
1860 Hoffmann (760) found that in a period of five days spores 
of Polyporus versicolor germinated in moist air, and in a period 
of six days spores of P. squamosus germinated better in moist air 
than in water. On the other hand, Falck (’09) says that the 
spores of Lenzites on wood germinate only when the wood has 
been thoroughly saturated by rains. 
To determine more accurately the relation of moisture to the 
germination of spores of a wood-destroying fungus the following 
experiments were conducted, using the spores of Lenzites saepia- 
ria. The spores of this fungus were obtained from rejuvenated 
fruiting bodies as described in a previous paper (Zeller, '16). 
The spores were allowed to drop from the fruiting bodies directly 
upon thin shavings of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) sap-wood, 
or were caught in Petri dishes and transferred to the shavings in 
a Iu of sterile distilled water and allowed to dry rapidly in the 
air.! 
The shavings upon which the spores were dépodited were 
clamped in a small device which may be described as follows: 
Two pieces of sheet celluloid, about the size of a microscope 
slide, were riveted together at one end by means of a paper rivet, 
and a round hole about 1 cm. in diameter was cut through the 
middle of the two celluloid slides. The pieces of celluloid were 
bent apart while a shaving to which the spores were adhering 
was slipped between, the other end of the pieces of celluloid 
being clamped together by means of a paper clip. The shaving 
is thus held so that it covers the hole in the middle of the device 
1 A decoction from 60 gms. of shavings of shortleaf-pine sap-wood was prepared b y 
steaming the shavings in a reflux with 10 cc. of distilled water. This decoction teste d 
Pa 4.2, so that the actual active acidity of the shavings probably was not above 
P 3.8. This would be well toward the optimum acidity (Py 3.1) for the germination 
of the spores of Lenzites saepiaria as reported by Webb (19). 
