MUCOR. 197 



paste into dextrose. The researches of Kellner, Mori, Nagaoka, 

 -and Okumura have likewise shown that the koji mass possesses 

 a strongly invertive enzyme, which converts cane sugar into 

 dextrose and laevulose, maltose into dextrose, and starch into 

 dextrin, maltose, and dextrose. The various micro-organisms 

 which occur in the koji mass probably contain these different 

 enzymes. Saito observed a peculiar kind of acid formation 

 due to this ferment. 



In Java, the Aspergillus Wentii, described by Wehmer, is 

 used for the preparation of Chinese soja, and the " Tao-Tjiung " 

 (bean mash). It occurs spontaneously on soja beans. It 

 forms a snow-white mycelium, coloured brown at a later stage 

 by the globular conidia, which exhibit a fine warty structure ; 

 the sterigmata are not ramified. According to Prinsen Geer- 

 ligs, who described the technical application of the fungus, it 

 not only possesses a peptonising and diastatic ferment, but is 

 also able partially to dissolve the cell- walls of the soja bean. 

 When the boiled soja beans have been sufficiently acted on 

 by the fungus, they are mixed with a concentrated salt solu- 

 tion, after which the mixture is boiled along with sugar and 

 various aromatic herbs. The process is, therefore, not one of 

 fermentation. 



Saito has investigated the preparation of the Japanese 

 yam brandy, involving the use of a special kind of Aspergillus 

 (A. Batatce), by means of which the starch of the yam tubers 

 is converted into sugar. This species first forms yellowish- 

 green, changing to dark brown, patches, consisting of brown, 

 spherical, and finely grained conidia. It possesses the same 

 enzymes as the other species of Aspergillus. The alcoholic 

 fermentation is brought about by a special form of yeast, 

 . Batatce. 



4. Mucor. 



The genus Mucor belongs to the most interesting group of 

 moulds with which we have to deal, since it embraces species 

 with marked fermentative activity and great power of con- 

 verting starch into sugar. They occur as grey or brown, 

 felt-like masses, often attaining a considerable height 

 occasionally measuring several inches in which small yellow, 



