OCCURRENCE, DISSEMINATION, MORPHOLOGY. 389 



whether the kephir yeasts belong to this category, though in 

 other respects they should be classed with the Torulacece ; since, 

 according to the concordant statements of Adametz, Freudenreich 

 and HEINZE (III.), they are, of themselves, incapable of fermenting 

 milk sugar. It is highly probable that the kephir granules contain 

 a variety of budding fungi, and the so-called Sacch. Kefyr, 

 Beijerinck, is apparently not always present. On the other hand, 

 it is very likely that BOERSCH (I.), who attributes sporulation 

 to the so-called Sacch. Kefyr, was examining a species that is not 

 always contained in kephir granules ; for, as far as the writer is 

 aware, the bulk of the budding fungi in these granules do not 

 sporulate. It is doubtful whether all the various forms described 

 represent so many distinct species. Comparative researches by 

 E. Kayser have shown that Torula Duclauxi, the so-called Sacch. 

 lactis, Adametz, and the species isolated from milk by himself, 

 possess very divergent and constant chemico-physiological pro- 

 perties. Sacch. Kefyr, Beijerinck, closely resembles Sacch. lactis, 

 Adametz, whilst Sacch. tyrocola is probably identical with Torula 

 Duclauxi. According to the researches of Heinze and Cohn, 

 little doubt can exist as to the separate identity of Sacch. lactis, 

 Adametz, and Sacch. tyrocola, Beijerinck. 



299. Occurrence, Dissemination and Morphology of 

 the Torulacese. 



The Tondacece are very widely disseminated. The frequency 

 of their occurrence in the air depends, however, on certain con- 

 ditions, chiefly on the way in which the ground is planted, the 

 fruits of vineyards and orchards in particular affording the most 

 favourable environment. HAN SEN (II.) found them in the air of 

 the open country under fruit trees between July and November, 

 most abundantly in September, whereas they were absent in May, 

 June and December ; and this report is confirmed by the investi- 

 gations of the writer. According to HANSEN (II.), their normal 

 winter habitat, like that of the Saccharomycetes, is the soil. 



The Torulacece also find a home on field and garden fruits, 

 and indeed on plants of all kinds ; and they seem to find a suitable 

 environment both during the decay of these fruits and during the 

 technical processes for preserving same, such as the pickling of 

 gherkins and beans, and the fermentation of sauerkraut. 



Possibly the yeasts found in the fermentation of tobacco and 

 tea also belong to the Torulacece. ^ 



They accompany the food into the stomach, and are found 

 there in the human subject during complaints of that organ (fer- 

 mentation and distension). 



During the plague of Lipara monacha caterpillars in Bavaria, 

 the intestinal tract of these insects was discovered to be occasionally 

 packed with the cells of various Torulacece. 



