192 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. VIII, No. 6 
material. Krassilstschik, according to Thaxter (7, p. 190) in his descrip¬ 
tion of Tarichium uvella , states that in nutrient fluid the large spherical 
spores germinate and give rise to septate hyphae that ultimately produce 
single, terminal, cylindrical colorless spores, measuring 9 by 3ju. Although 
Krassilstschik’s description is meager and unaccompanied by figures, it 
would seem that this process agrees essentially with that described 
below. 
Several more infected insects were received in July, so that enough 
material was available to conduct germination and cultural tests. At 
the end of 48 hours in hanging-drop water cultures each of the peripheral 
cells of the spore masses gives rise to one germ tube. These are at first 
simple, sometimes septate, and on the third or fourth day each produces 
a single cylindrical spore at its tip (PI. 66, G). These spores, which may 
be called secondary spores, are entirely unlike those from which they 
arose, being colorless, thin walled, .and cylindrical. Their measurements 
vary from 4 to 6ju in width and 9 to iiju in length. Two large vacuoles 
are invariably present, one at each end of the spore. The germ tubes 
gradually lengthen somewhat and branch sparingly. The ultimate 
branches are often terminated by bottle-shaped portions that show, or 
at least have a tendency toward, verticillate grouping. - At the end of 
10 days growth ceases, owing apparently to the exhaustion of the nourish¬ 
ment supplied by the large spherical spores. During the latter part of 
this period the secondary spores are cut off successively from the tips 
of the sporophores, and in hanging-drop water cultures adhere to one 
another after abjunction (PI. 66, H). 
The promycelium-like sporiferous filaments arising from the large 
spherical cells are irregularly septate, limited in growth, and measure 
from 3 to 5ju in diameter. 
Prom the above description it will be seen that the fungus under 
consideration has no characters in common with the Entomophthorales. 
The coenocytic elements of growth of the latter, together with the method 
of spore formation and discharge, are in no way comparable to analo¬ 
gous processes in Sorosporella. 
It is not at all certain whether the inner cells of the spore masses 
function as reservoirs of food for the outer germinating spores, as is 
supposed to be the case in some bulbils, because, judging from their 
staining properties after several days in hanging drops of water, there 
is apparently no reduction in the amount of their cell contents. Fur¬ 
thermore, while the individual elements are firmly fixed to one another, 
a connecting passage between them, although perhaps not necessary for 
the transfer of protoplasmic material, has yet to be demonstrated. 
Attempts to cultivate the organism have not thus far yielded entirely 
satisfactory results, probably owing to an improper choice of nutrients. 
In the present preliminary trials only potato agar and oat agar were 
