34 
Research Bulletin No. p 
2. (Irowth HAiuT. — It was observed in nearly all cultures that 
F. o.vysponiin not only made a greater initial growth at ordinary 
temperatures, but that it was at all temperatures much more of 
a surface grower than F. trichothecioides, making a superficial 
spreading growth, rather than the penetrating restricted intensive 
growth of the latter. Early sporulation was associated with the re- 
stricted growth habit of the latter (fig. 13). These habits were espe- 
cialh' clearly marked on solid substrata, but even in liquid media F. 
oxysponini made a much less compact growth than the other species. 
It may be that the more spreading and extensive growth habit of 
F. oxysponim at all temperatures and its more rapid initial growth 
at temperatures above 10-15° C. are associated with a greater oxy- 
gen requirement than that j^ossessed by F. trichothecioides. This 
\\ould explain in part the frequenting of intercellular spaces and 
xylem elements by the former, and its consequent greater efficiency 
in causing vascular mycosis and wilt, as well as its tendency to cause 
bundle discoloration. The xylem elements of the stem end are 
undoubtedly infected while the tuber is yet in the soil, where 
temperature conditions are such as to favor the growth of F. oxy- 
sponim. Storage temperatures check the growth of this organism 
and the cells bordering the infected vascular elements shut the 
infected area off by suberizing their walls. Cultural experiments 
and microscopical studies show that cork is not absolutely impene- 
trable to these organisms, although it ])rovides under normal con- 
ditions an effective barrier to the ])rogress of both of these species. 
Because of the slower growth of F. trichothecioides at higher tem- 
peratures, the ])otato plant undoubtedly has a much better opportun- 
ity to guard itself by cork formation against this organism tlian 
against the other. 
3. The carbon sources of the two organisms. — A dift'er- 
ence in the metabolic requirements of two organisms, a dift"erence 
in their ability to utilize various substances, or a difference in their 
ability to tolerate the presence of substances may be factors of 
critical importance in determining which of the two will attack a 
given tissue or a given plant. These factors may determine also 
the modes of attack of an organism upon a tissue or a plant. Thus 
an organism that can digest pectinaceous material and not cellulose 
