MONILIA, SACHSIA AND OHALARA. 447 



give rise to the impression that they are cultures of dissimilar 

 organisms ; and these variations remain constant for several 

 generations. In respect of its physiological behaviour, Monilia 

 variabilis belongs to the fermenting group of the genus, since it 

 ferments glucose, fructose, galactose, trehalose, saccharose, lactose 

 (doubtful), raffinose and dextrin, though leaving intact mannose, 

 which, on the other hand, is fermented by Monilia Candida. 

 Alpha-methylglucoside and /3-methylglucoside are also fermented, 

 which latter, according to LINDNER (XL.) is attacked by only one 

 other micro-organism, namely, Sachsia suaveolens (see p. 450). 

 HEINZE and COHN (I.) give Monilia variabilis as a true lactose 

 ferment. In any case the production of alcohol is small, being 

 only 1.4 per cent, by weight in beer wort after five months. 



Despite their extensive fermentative capacity, the Monilia 

 described above have no technical importance ; whereas the two 

 now to be mentioned find application in the preparation of 

 foodstuffs in Eastern Asia. 



Monilia javanica is the name given by F. A. WENT and 

 PRINSEN-GEERLIGS (II.) to a fungus occurring, in association with 

 others, in Ragi (see p. 91, vol. ii.). It forms dense filamentous 

 masses, interspersed with, usually globular, cells (so-called yeast 

 conidia). When grown on solid, artificial nutrient media, such 

 as agar-agar or rice (Oryza glutinosa), the edges of the colonies 

 exhibit septate filaments, on which account the discoverers of this 

 species regarded it as the sterile condition of a higher fungus, a 

 conclusion which more recent investigations have failed to confirm. 

 The species thrives well in saccharine nutrient liquids, on which 

 it first forms a film before commencing to produce alcohol a 

 circumstance pointing to very feeble initial fermentative activity, 

 Glucose, fructose, saccharose, maltose and raffinose are fermented 

 but not lactose. Owing to the presence of volatile fermentation- 

 products, the alcohol formed (maximum 5 per cent.) has a dis- 

 agreeable flavour and smell, so that the arrack furnished by this 

 fungus is of inferior quality. Dextrin and glycerin are also 

 utilised as foodstuffs, the former being also fermented to some 

 extent as well. 



Monilia sitophila (Mont.), Saccardo, is said by WENT (TV.) to 

 be used by the natives in West Java in the preparation of a 

 sweetmeat known as "ontjom," composed of the seeds of the 

 ground-nut or earth-nut, (Arachis hypogcea). The ground-nuts, 

 which are thoroughly permeated by the fungus, are made up in 

 the form of small, orange-coloured cakes, the surface of which is 

 covered with the conidia, whilst the interior is both chemically 

 altered and loosened in structure by the mycelium. In the 

 interior of solid media and nutrient liquids, the fungus develops 

 into a plentifully branched mycelium of radial hyphse, whilst the 

 hyphse projecting above the surface of the medium produces 

 numerous conidia on short stalks. The oval to cylindrical conidia, 



VOL. ii : PT. 2 2 F 



