52 THE FORMATION OF PROTEIDS IN PLANT-CELLS. 



whose oxygen would produce the nitrification in acting upon the 

 ammonia, while the hydrogen would act reducing upon the 

 carbonic acid of this salt, producing thus form-aldehyde, or 

 carbohydrates. The process, however, would appear simpler if 

 a part of the hydrogen of the ammonia could be employed for 

 this reduction. I tried to explain this process by the following 

 equations 1 ) : 



2NH 3 +20 2 =2N0 2 H+4H, 

 C0 2 + 4H = CH 2 0 + H 2 0, 

 6CH 3 0 = C 6 H I2 0 6 . 



This production of organic matter from inorganic without 

 the aid of the chlorophyll apparatus is certainly most extraordi- 

 nary. 



Some additional remarks may be made on the nutrition of 

 mould-fungi (Penicittium, Aspergillus, Mucor). Substances sup- 

 porting the life of aerobic bacteria generally also serve as food for 

 mould-fungi ; however there exist exceptions: methylamin, methyl 

 alcohol or sodium valerianate are better utilised by bacteria, 

 glyoxal better by mould-fungi. Neutral reaction is best suited 

 for most kinds of fungi, in alkaline liquids however bacteria thrive 

 better than mould-fungi, while in an acid one the contrary is 

 observed (with certain exceptions 2 ' )• In certain solutions the 

 development of bacteria will prevent the development of mould- 

 fungi, in other solutions again both kinds of fungi may thrive at 

 the same time. I infected for instance a solution containing 

 potassium sodium tartrate i %, di-potassium phosphate and diam- 

 monium sulfate 0,1% of each, and magnesium sulfate 0,05%, 

 with bacteria of putrid meat and with spores of Penicittium glaic- 

 cum, simultaneously, but only the bacteria developed although I 

 rendered after 2 weeks the solution slightly acid with mono- 

 potassium phosphate and infected once more with Pciiicillium- 

 spores. On the other hand when glucose was employed instead 



1) O. Loew, Ibid. 10, 75S and Centralbl. f. Bacteriol. g, Nr. 20. Waringtvn 

 expressed recently the same idea (Chem. News 68. 175) and gave the following 

 equation : 



( N H 4 ) 2 C 0 3 + O = N H4. N 0 2 + C H 2 0 + H 2 O. 



2) While Bacterium accti thrives well in a solution containing several per cent 

 acetic acid, cases may also be observed, where in an alkaline liquid bacteria cannot 

 thrive but only mould-lungi. 



