ENDOMYCKS. 143 



The slime-flux is the product of an alcoholic fermentation and 

 has at first a distinct odour of beer. The fermentation produces 

 a transparent foam in which are found Undomyces Magnusii 

 (Ludw.) and a yeast, SaccJiaromyces Ludwigii (Hansen); this latter, 

 Ludwig regards as a stage of the Endomyces. Later a gelatinous 

 slime is developed in the foam from the presence of Leuconostoc 

 Lagerheimii (Ludw.) Since this latter plant does not appear 

 in the early stages of the disease, it cannot be the cause, and 

 Ludwig says that the alcoholic fermentation due to the Endomyces 

 always appears first ; this conclusion requires confirmation. 



The milky outflow of trees.^ 



Towards the end of winter and in spring a white foamy slime 

 flows from freshly cut birches or hornbeams. According to 

 Ludwig, this is due to Endomyces verTWblis (Ludw.) 



Red slime-flux.' 



Ludwig found on the cut twigs of hornbeam, a red fungus 

 which he called Bhodomyces dendroporthes. This may occur alone 

 or along with the white flux, which it colours red. 



Brown slime-flux.^ 



This is found on apple-trees, elms, birch, horse-chestnut, 

 poplar, oak, etc., from spring till winter. The slime, Ludwig 

 says, is developed in the wood, and breaks through, causing 

 the bark to decay. The wood is destroyed and smells of butyric 

 acid. The slime contains micrococci {Micrococcus dendroporthes, 

 Ludw.) and a form of Torula (T. monilioides). 



In Thuringia, many avenue-trees (e.g. chestnuts, apples, and 

 birch), are reported to have been killed from this cause. That 

 the disease was really the result of a Bacterium, and that death 

 was due to this slime-flux, has yet to be proved, as Ludwig 

 himself states. 



Black slime-flux. 



Ludwig considers briefly some forms he found in a black 

 slime-flux observed by him on beeches. 



^ Ludwig, Lehrbuch der nied. Kryptogamen, 1892. 



- Ludwig, Centralbl. f. Bahi. u. Parasitenkunde, 1888. 



