Miscellaneous Nitrogen- Fixers 205 



in artificial cultures in the laboratory finds a parallel 

 in the soils in the field. At the same time, the possibility 

 is not excluded that even there they may play a part 

 not only in the transformation of nitrogen, but, also, 

 in the addition of nitrogen to the soil. 



Apart from the bacteria proper, molds and algae have 

 been demonstrated to possess the ability of fixing 

 small quantities of atmospheric nitrogen. The results 

 secured with these organisms are quite contradictory 

 and cannot be accepted without reserve. None the less, 

 in the case of molds, at least, there are recent investi- 

 gations that indicate that they may be an important 

 factor in the accumulation of combined nitrogen in 

 peaty soils. 



