350 
Fraser. — On the Sexuality and Development of 
Germination of the Spores. 
The spores were placed in various fluids at a temperature of about 
I5°C., but without result. In nature the spores probably pass through the 
body of the cow, and an attempt was therefore made to imitate normal 
digestion ; spores were placed successively in saliva, in gastric juice (a few 
drops of liquor pepticus of Benger in o-2 per cent, aqueous solution of 
hydrochloric acid), in pancreatic juice (one part of Benger’s liquor pan- 
creaticus to two parts of x per cent, aqueous solution of sodium carbonate), 
and in watery extract of cow-dung. The spores were left in each of the 
first three fluids for 3-4 hours, and in the dung extract for considerably 
longer, at a temperature of 38° C. They were then transferred in dung 
extract to slides, where they were allowed to cool gradually. The spores, 
which, before treatment, appeared thick- walled and hyaline (Fig. 1 a ), 
showed an increase in size, thin walls, granular contents, and one or two 
large vacuoles (Fig. 1 b). Later the vacuoles became more numerous, and 
the spores still larger, and, about two days after the beginning of the 
experiment, germinations were observed, a germ-tube passing out from 
each end of the spore. 
In order to ascertain which of the fluids used was effective in germina- 
tion, they were now employed separately, and spores were placed in dung 
extract at a temperature of 38° C. for several hours and then mounted as 
before. Germinations took place, the mycelium being, in certain cases, 
well developed and showing branches (Fig. 1 c ). Spores placed in distilled 
water, but otherwise treated exactly like those in dung extract, did not 
show even the changes in size and contents preliminary to germination. 
The alkalinity of a sample of dung extract was now ascertained, and 
it was found to be approximately that of a centinormal solution. Spores 
were placed, therefore, in decinormal and in centinormal solutions of sodium 
carbonate, and in a solution half the strength of the latter (“~) * They 
were kept for about 30 hours at 38° C., and then mounted and allowed to 
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cool. The spores in the — solution were somewhat shrunken and dis- 
torted, no doubt by plasmolysis, and showed no further changes. In the 
other two solutions they were thin walled and vacuolate. After various 
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attempts had been made, germinations were obtained in a solution, but 
they were rare, owing, probably, to lack of food-material, and, in more than 
one case, the germ-tubes from a spore germinating in the ascus were found 
running in the epiplasm, and no doubt obtaining nourishment from it. 
(Fig. 2.) 
