200 
tant as bacteria in destroying cellulose. About 
seventy-five species of molds have been isolated, 
representing a large number of genera; species of 
Penicillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium are per- 
haps most numerous. 
In the destruction of pure cellulose, either by 
bacteria or molds in synthetic media, the associa- 
tive aetion of organisms which presumably have 
no cellulose-dissolving enzymes frequently stimu- 
lates the growth of the cellulose organism and in- 
creases its destructive power. 
Some Phases of Microscopical Detection of De- 
composition in Food Products: B. J. Howagp. 
W. W. STOCKBERGER, 
Corresponding Secretary 
THE TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
THE meeting of November 14, 1911, was held 
at the American Museum of Natural History at 
8:15 P.M., Vice-president Barnhart presiding. 
Forty-five persons were present. 
The minutes of the meetings of October 10 and 
October 25 were read and approved. 
Mrs. N. C. Nuris, 611 W. 177th St., New York 
City, and Dr. George F. Bovard, University of 
Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal., were pro- 
posed for membership. There being no further 
business to consider, Mrs. N. C. Nuris was then 
elected to membership in the club. 
The announced scientific program of the evening 
consisted of a lecture on ‘‘Trees of New York 
City,’’ by Professor C. C. Curtis. The lecture was 
illustrated by numerous lantern slides. 
B. O. Dong, 
Secretary 
THE meeting of November 29, 1911, was held 
in the laboratory of the New York Botanical 
Garden and was called to order at 3:40 P.M. by 
the acting secretary in the absence of other offi- 
cers. The reading of minutes and the transaction 
of business were passed over and the meeting pro- 
ceeded with the scientific program. The first 
announced paper was by Mr. Arlow Burdette 
Stout on ‘‘The Characteristics of the Fungus 
Sclerotium rhizodes, with special reference to its 
Action on the Cells of its Host,’’ of which the 
following is an abstract: 
Mr. A. B. Stout presented in part the results of 
his investigations of the fungus Sclerotiwm rhi- 
zodes Auersw., a complete report of which will 
soon appear in a research bulletin of the Wiscon- 
sin Agricultural Experiment Station 
SCIENCE 
[N.S. Vou. XXXV. No. 892 
Special mention was made of the behavior of 
the fungus in the different organs of the host 
plant and microscopical preparations were exhib- 
ited demonstrating the relations of the fungus to 
the cells of its principal host Calamagrostis cana- 
densis. 
The fungus is coexistent in leaves, buds, stems, 
rhizomes and roots of the infected plants. Fila- 
ments of the fungus also form a thin weft on the 
exterior of the roots and extend out into the soil. 
In the leaves the fungus is vigerously parasitic. 
In the culms fungal filaments are most abundant 
in the region of the nodes, but there is almost no 
destruction of tissues. In the underground parts 
of the culms, and in rhizomes the hyphe com- 
pletely digest the cell contents of cortical cells, 
but have no effect on the cell walls except at the 
points of actual penetration. In the older por- 
tions of roots the hyphe are scattered through the 
cortex, where they occupy empty cells. In the 
younger lateral roots the filaments of the fungus 
are found penetrating living cells and exhibiting 
characteristics which have been ascribed to my- 
corrhizal fungi. Ultimately, however, the cell con- 
tents disappear while the fungus remains intact. 
The fungus is perennial in the soil, and in the 
underground portions of the host. It is present in 
buds, but is unable to penetrate into the growing 
apex. 
The fungus, therefore, exhibits a varying degree 
of parasitism in the different parts of the host. 
The presentation of the second announced paper, 
‘*Studies on the Growth and Reproduction of cer- 
tain Species of Ascobolus,’’? by Mr. Bernard O. 
Dodge, was omitted on account of the illness and 
absence of Mr. Dodge. 
Mrs. N. L. Britton exhibited drawings and 
microscopic preparations illustrating certain types 
of thickening in the cell walls of the leaves of 
mosses. 
Dr. N. L. Britton discussed the characters of a 
new species of Eleagia from Cuba. This is a 
Rubiaceous shrub 8 or 10 feet high, with fruit 
imperfectly known. The hitherto known species 
of the genus Hleagia occur in the Andes of South 
America and this new plant from the mountains 
of Cuba forms another link in the chain of rela- 
tionship between the flora of the higher altitudes 
of the West Indies and that of the mountains of 
South America. MarsHatt A, Howe, 
Secretary pro tem. 
1A more complete abstract than is here given 
appeared in Phytopathology, I., 69. 
