484 PRACTICAL BOTANY 



D. CLEISTOCAEPOUS ASCOMYCETES 



EUROTIUM ASPERGILLUS GLAUCUS 



I. Keep a slice of dry bread under a bell-glass, until 

 it becomes mouldy. Even a superficial examination of 

 it will show in most cases that more than one kind of 

 Mould is present. Among the rest the most prominent 

 will probably be one which bears roundish, white or 

 pale green heads closely aggregated, and borne on 

 stalks of about one-sixteenth of an inch in length : this 

 is the conidial form of Eurotium Aspergillus glaucus, 

 and the branches bearing the heads are styled the 

 conidiophores. 



Shake some of these gently with the point of a 

 needle : numerous minute powdery bodies (the 

 conidia) will be liberated, and will float away as 

 a fine cloud. 



If it be desired to obtain a pure culture of this fungus for 

 further study, the following precautions are to be taken. 

 Thoroughly boil a few French plums till they are quite soft : this 

 will completely sterilize them. Having previously sterilized a 

 plate and bell-glass by exposure to high temperature (boiling- 

 point for a long time, or a higher temperature for a shorter time), 



