MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
211 
It is believed that while the absolute value of these data is not perhaps 
great, nevertheless their relative values are significant. The method of 
counting was of course not perfectly accurate. Moreover, the limited 
number of samples and the difference in the times of taking them, might 
easily affect rlie absolute results. Still, the comparative results indicate 
strongly that fungi are quite uniformly distributed at different depths 
in the, soil, at least as low as II centimeters. No samples were taken 
at a greater depth. 
The results showed further, that deptli was not an important factor in 
the location of particular fungi. Practically all the species were found 
at all the depths tried, and not in conspicuously larger numbers at one 
than another. This may be illustrated by giving the data on this point 
for the two most abundant species; viz., Fusariitm-CepMlospo'rmm and 
Mucor [species ?) . 
Number of cultures obtained at each depth. 
2 cm. 
4 cm . 
S cm. 
12 cm. 
14 cm. 
F usarlum 
2 
1 
5 
3 
2 
Mucor 
4 
3 
i 
3 
3 
DISTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO TREATMENT OF THE SOIL. 
As seen from the preceding chart, the three plats were differently 
treated as to tillage and fertilization. It was expected that a marked 
difference would be found in the flora of the different plats, especially in 
Plat III. which was heavily manured and then well spaded and raked. 
However, the results did not seem to sustain such an expectation. Out 
of about sixty pure cultures isolated, representing eighteen different spe- 
cies, but two species were found exclusively on Plat III, while three were 
found only on plat 1, and three on plat II. It would seem rather more 
reasonable to suppose that these differences were due, rather to the 
chances of sampling or isolation, than to differences in the plats. The 
results therefore, while perhaps not perfectly conclusive, do point to the 
conclusion, that there is a rather constant and characteristic fungous 
flora in the soil, regardless of the treatment as to tillage or fertilization. 
It should be noted in this connection, that the samples from the manured 
plat were not taken until about three months after the manure was ap- 
plied. Any fungi therefore, which might have been introduced with 
the manure, may have begun to grow, and finding conditions unfavor- 
able. may have died out. However, it is recognized that the results are 
open to the criticism, that comparatively few samples were taken, and 
also that only relatively few of the fungi actually in the samples, were 
isolated. While this is true, nevertheless, I believe that few of the 
species actually present, were missed in the isolations. 
The idea of a fairly characteristic fungous soil flora is emphatically 
confirmed by the results of Mr. Grossman, who working in the same 
laboratory, with a very different soil, found eight of the species here 
given, out of a total of about twelve isolated. His isolations were made 
