BRIEFER ARTICLES 
THE INFLUENCE OF ETHER ON THE GROWTH OF 
ENDOTHIA 
The writers found it necessary to conduct a series of experiments 
on the influence of ether on the growth of Endothia, preliminary to more 
extensive studies on the influence of the tannin content of the host plant 
on Endothia parasitica and related species. Owing to a change in plans 
this phase of the work was abandoned. However, it has been considered 
advisable to publish the results of these experiments. 
The medium used was as follows: water rooocc., glucose 20 gm., 
peptone 10 gm., potassium phosphate (dibasic) 0.25 gm., magnesium 
sulphate 0.25 gm. The organisms used were Endothia parasitica, E. 
radicalis (American and European strains), including one from Quercus 
alba which was sent to us by Dr. GrorcE P. Cirnton. This last organ- 
ism was a much slower grower than the others. In order to prevent 
the evaporation of the ether, the cotton plugs were pushed a short 
distance into the tubes and close-fitting corks inserted. 
In the first experiments, approximately 1o cc. of the medium was 
placed in each tube and two or three drops of ether added by means of 
a graduated pipette (that is, not more than o.1cc.). These tubes were 
then inoculated with the organisms. In all cases the checks grew more 
slowly than those to which the ether had been added. These results 
made it necessary to conduct a more careful series of experiments, in 
which definite but varying amounts of the ether should be used. 
In this second experiment, 0.1 cc. ether was added to certain tubes 
of the medium and 0.4 cc. to others. These were inoculated and kept 
as above. The results confirmed the first experiments, but made it 
necessary to conduct a still more extensive experiment. 
This experiment was as follows. To ro cc. of culture solution, ether 
was added in quantities of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 9-7; 0.8, 
o.9, and x per cent. In this experiment only one species was used, 
E. parasitica. On the third day the check showed a good normal growth; 
that having 0.05 per cent ether was somewhat accelerated and that 
having 0.1 per cent was noticeably so. The next two members of the 
series showed slight germination. The next day but little change was 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 60] [412 
