RETTING OF FLAX AND HEMP 351 



Anaerobic Bacilli as Causes of Fermentation of 

 Cellulose. 



While van Senus designated, as the cause of fermenta- 

 tion of cellulose, an anaerobic variety (Bacillus amylo- 

 bacter v. Tieghem, according to van Senus) which operates 

 only in symbiosis with an aerobic variety, Omelianski 

 (C. B. L. n, 358, and v, 433) isolated a thin, anaerobic 

 bacillus, which is not turned blue by iodin and forms 

 polar spores, and which alone in a nutrient saline solu- 

 tion with peptone very readily causes fermentation of 

 cellulose, with resulting formation of considerable quanti- 

 ties of volatile fatty acids (among them, normal butyric 

 acid), C0 2 and H 2 . We might give a large number of 

 organisms causing decomposition of cellulose. The litera- 

 ture is given by Herfeldt (C. B. L. i, 114). 



As Amylobacter navicula Wehm., Wehmer has described a facul- 

 tative anaerobic bacillus, when sporulating assuming a clostridium 

 form, which is motile when young, is partially stained blue with 

 iodin, dissolves cellulose, and plays an important role in the wet-rot 

 of potatoes. Wehmer has not carried out a sharp separation of this 

 variety from related ones (C. B. L. iv,734). He here also describes a 

 second sporulating variety, but gives it no name. 



Anaerobic Bacilli in the Retting of Flax and Hemp. 



According to Winogradski and Fribes, the retting of 

 flax (isolation of the bast fibers by softening in water) 'de- 

 pends upon an anaerobic bacillus with terminal spores, 

 which breaks up the cementing material (calcium pec- 

 tate), with the production of butyric acid. Also the ret- 

 ting of hemp is brought about by an anaerobic bacillus, 

 but it presents central spores and a blue color after iodin. 



Gerstner (A. K. i, p. 152) has collected numerous anae- 

 robic, sporulating varieties in addition to these, and has 

 attempted a perfectly thankless task to arrange them 

 in a scheme according to the descriptions found in the 

 literature. 



