go BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JANUARY 
spores are produced. If a trace of manganese is added, the surface becomes 
black with conidia. 
A later paper by BERTRAND and JAVILLIER™ consists of recapitulation of 
the data in the foregoing papers by them, together with a general discussion 
of the results obtained. 
The availability of various nitrogenous compounds as sources of nitrogen 
for fungi has been investigated by BRENNER, by RITTER, and by KossowlIe. 
BRENNER® in a brief paper gives the general results of an investigation designed e 
to determine the relative value of various nitrogenous compounds for the 
nutrition of Aspergillus niger. The compounds were given in a concentration 
equivalent in nitrogen to a 0.5 per cent ammonium chloride solution. The 
nutritive value of the substances was determined by ascertaining the time 
required for the cultures to attain a maximum weight on a given substance. 
Both the time required for reaching a maximum development and the weight 
of fungous substance produced were taken into consideration. By analysis of 
the fungus crops and the residual culture medium, the qualitative and quan- 
titative interchange of nitrogen between the fungus and the medium was 
determined. The results showed that a large number of compounds are not 
suitable sources of nitrogen. Of this category are free ammonia, sodium 
nitrite, ammonium valerianate, and potassium cyanide, all of which are 
poisonous, and tetramethylammonium chloride, nitroguanidin, epepis 
isoamylacetate, pyridin chloride, and piperidine chloride, which are not 
assimilable. The order of nutrient value of the other compounds a is 
somewhat as follows: first, ammonium lactate, ammonium tartrate, asparagin, 
ammonium succinate, and ammonium oxalate; second, the ammonium salts of 
sulphuric, hydrochloric, nitric, and siisapbotic acids, and carbamid; third 
nitrate, pyridin nitrate, normal and isobutylamin chloride, guanidin nitrate, 
and guanidin chloride. Of less nutritive value are isoamylamin chloride, 
hydroxylamin sulphate, benzylamin sulphate, dicyandiamid, and perhaps 
acetonitril. 
A study of the composition of the fungus and the changes in the medium 
showed that after a period of growth of about 4 days, processes of degeneration 
began in parts of the fungus. These were accompanied by the secretion of 
nitrogen as ammonia or as organic nitrogenous compounds. Asa rule, regard- 
less of the nature of the compounds, about one-half of the nitrogen present in 
a solution containing the nitrogen equivalent of a o.5 per cent ammonium 
chlorid solution was taken up by the first crop of fungus grown. Subsequent 
crops having less nitrogen at their disposal contained a lower percentage of xi, 
ERTRAND, G., et JAVILLIER, M., Action du manganése sur le développement de 
ay ea niger. Ann. Inst. Past. 26: 241-249. 1912. ae 
/ % BRENNER, W., Untersuchungen iiber die Stickstoffernahrung des Aspergillus i 
( niger und deren Verwertung. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 29:479-483. I91I- 
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