PLANTS WHICH CAUSE DECAY 



391 



In the manufacture of beer, etc., the sugar is ob- 

 tained by allowing the grain to germinate until a large 

 part of its starch has become sugar (see page 169), 

 then killing it by heat and extracting the sugar by 

 means of water; the Yeast is then added. In addition 



214. Black Mcmld of "oread (Rhizopus), showing mycelium. 



to the useful Yeasts, there are others which impart a 

 disagreeable taste or odor to the product; and these 

 must be carefully excluded. The use of pure cultures 

 of Yeasts is now becoming general : they are obtained 

 by the same methods as pure cultures of bacteria. 



Another class of plants which resemble the bacteria 

 in causing decay are the Moulds. A very common one 

 which occurs everywhere on decaying fruit, vegetables, 

 bread, etc., is the Black Mould of bread (known as 

 Mucor stolonifer, or Rhizopus nigricans) . 



