1910] CURRENT LITERATURE 387 
Of the carbohydrate culture media, starch, maltose, and saccharose were 
best; glucose and dextrin next; and glycerin poorest. Correspondingly, all 
fungi possessed diastase and emulsin; some invertase and maltase; some 
aesculin; one tyrosinase; and only one cytase. In humus decoctions all 
‘grew well. 
The endophytes cannot assimilate free nitrogen. They belong to BEn- 
NECKE’S category of “Ammon-nitrit-nitratpilze,” and grow luxuriantly, form- 
ing spores on ammonium salts, ammonium nitrate holding first place. Organic 
N compounds were varyingly well assimilated. Peptone produced splendid 
growth, and salep furnished sufficient N for all to grow. All fungi possess 
proteolytic enzymes. 
The production of acid in assimilation is slight, and in general, in media 
its 
the amount of assimilation products present. Salep always stimulated spore- 
formation, as did increased transpiration. 
2. The study of the plant and the fungus.—For the biological relations of 
the plant and the fungus, BurGEFF chooses the terrestrial orchid Epidendrum 
(dichromum ?) and the hybrid epiphyte Laelio-Cattleya. Without a fungus, 
seeds of Epidendrum, on a culture medium of rain water, 2 per cent salep, and 
1.5 per cent agar, did not germinate. With ten different fungi they germinated 
_ Within 25 days. The embryo did not become green until infected. Thinned 
by means of the Durchlasszellen into the cortex. The hyphae of the sub- 
epidermal layer (Pilzwirtzellschicht) are never digested, but Eiweisshyphen 
appear in the digestive layer beneath. The cytological facts agree wi 
Phenomena of digestion, where the remains (a clump) are surrounded by a 
cellulose layer (Haut), and the nucleus assumes the resting stage, ready to 
digest new hyphae. Clumps may become several-layered. 
Burcerr found that the seeds of Laelio-Cattleya, wettable only after three 
or four days, could germinate, become green, and attain considerable differ- 
Rous with spores and hyphal knots). . io-Cattleya 
Testing the possibility of saprophytic germination in Laelio-C 
