236 



SPECIFIC MICRO-ORGANISMS 



several different species of molds may be concerned in the 

 causation of muscardine. 



The fungus is of interest because it was probably the first 

 mold to be recognized as a cause of disease, and also because 

 it is an example of a large group of fungi which attack various 

 insects. The disease muscardine is, moreover, one of con- 

 siderable importance to the silk industry. 



FIG. 93. Oidium lactis. a, b, Dichotomous branching of growing hyphae; c, d. g, 

 simple chains of oidia breaking through substratum at dotted line x-y, dotted por- 

 tions submerged; e, /, chains of oidia from a branching outgrowth of a submerged 

 cell; h, branching chain of oidia; k, /, m, n, o, p, s, types of germination of oidia under 

 varying conditions; /, diagram of a portion of a colony showing habit of Oidium 

 lactis as seen in culture media. (From Bull. 82, Bur. Animal Industry, U. S. Dept. 

 Agr.) 



Oidium Lactis. Oidium lactis is very widely distributed and 

 is almost always present in milk and milk products, and in brew- 

 er's and baker's yeast, and it is an especially prominent organism 

 in the further fermentation of acid substances, such as sauer- 



