176 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [AUGUST 
Enzyme activity of fungi—With a view of ascertaining the manner of 
destruction of wood by Lenzites saepiaria, ZELLER” has made a general study of 
e enzymes in the mycelium and sporophores of that fungus. Enzyme 
preparations of the mycelium were made by extraction of dried and ground 
cultures of the fungus grown on sawdust. The enzyme mixture precipitated 
from the extract by means of alcohol was collected on filter paper and preserved 
Preparations from the fruit bodies were made in a similar manner. 
From the activities exhibited by the powder thus obtained, the author con- 
cludes that the following groups of enzymes are present in the mycelium and 
sporophores of Lenzites saepiaria: (1) of the esterases chiefly those affecting 
the hydrolysis of the esters of the lower fatty acids; (2) of the carbohydrases, 
maltase, invertase, raffinase, diastase, innulase, ligninase (by which the author 
designates CzAPEK’S “‘hadromase”’), cellulase, hemicellulase, and pectinase; 
(3) of other enzymes, emulsin, tannase, urease, hippuricase, nuclease, pro- 
teinases, rennttase, oxidase, and catalase. 
£. aot Tot anc 
‘containing a gradually increasing percentage of resin, growth was only slighty 
depressed in Pa i cent of resin. In emuls' 
over 50 per cent of resin growth is sharply depressed, while in ‘ine 
containing over 85 per cent growth is practically inhibited —H. HAssELBRING. 
Texas root rot—Duccar* reports the finding of f a conidial stage of the 
" fungous diseases of the cotton crop. The conidia. se nidia-bearing hyphae usually 
occur in patches on the bare ground between the rows of plants and only rarely 
in connection with the roots themselves. They are borne on swollen or club-— : 
shaped branches recalling the conidiophores of some species of Botrytis. The 
spore powder which covers the ground of the fertile — is ee bull. 
es ie yphomycete genus Phys ichum as 
P. omnicorum (Shear) Duggar. ea 
oe equation of Long IandHsxr has pase tt ofthe plants : : 
~ City. a will serve for comparison witl At cei’ is and as a abe : ce 
