THE DECOMPOSITION OF CELLULOSE IN SOILS 451 



Internal structure : Coarsely granular. The granules are fre- 

 quently formed into large granular clumps. 



Edge : Entire or undulate. 

 Beef Agar, 5 days. 



Form : Surface colonies round ; bottom colonies spread out into 

 fern-like growths. 



Size: Surface colonies 1 to 1.5 mm.; bottom colonies 12 to 15 mm. 



Elevation : Slightly convex. 



Consistency: Soft; old colonies are somewhat viscous. 



Chromogenesis : By reflected light the colonies are grayish white ; 

 by transmitted light they appear as glistening semi-transparent 

 drops. 



Structure : Granular. 



Edge : Entire. ' 



Potato agar, 5 days. 



Form : Round. 



Size: 1 to 1.5 mm. 



Elevation : Convex. 



Consistency : Very soft ; colony can be caused to spread over the 

 medium by shaking the plate. 



Chromogenesis : By reflected light the colonies are grayish white. 

 By transmitted hght they appear as glistening semi-transparent 

 drops. 



Structure : Granular. 



Edge : Entire. 



11. Filter paper broths, 15 days. Paper is reduced to a finely divided gray 



white mass which readily separates into minute fibrous particles 

 on slight agitation. The paper is decomposed rapidly with ammo- 

 nium sulphate, potassium nitrate, peptone or casein as the source 

 of nitrogen. 

 III. Biochemical Features. 



12. Dunham's solution, 10 days. No ammonia formed; nitrite formed. 



13. Starch nitrate solution, 10 days. No ammonia formed ; nitrite formed. 



14. Peptone nitrite solution, 10 days. Indol produced. 



15. Carbohydrate broths, 12 days. No gas produced. Per cent of gas 



(Fuller's Scale) with: Dextrose, .80; Lactose, .10; Saccharose, 

 .00; Maltose, .60; Glycerine, .00; Mannite, .00; Starch, .20. 



Bacillus festinus, n. sp. 



Source: Soil from Banning, California; Fullerton, California; Whittier, Cali- 

 fornia. 

 I. Morphology. 



1. Vegetative cells : Average dimensions 2 x .6 ^. 



2. Endospores: Form, elliptical; size, average dimensions .8 x .5 y^; 



germination, equatorial; rod, swollen. 



3. Flagella : 1 to 3 in number ; 4 to 6 ^ in length. 



4. Staining reactions: Gram negative. Stains readily with the aniline 



dyes. 

 TI. Cultural Characteristics. 



5. Agar strokes, 5 days. 



Beef agar: Scant, flat, grayish white, spreading growth. 



