154 Report oF tHE DepartMENT oF Borany oF THE 
V. TILE DRAIN CLOGGED BY YUNGUS. 
On June 13, 1901, while investigating an outbreak of currant 
anthracnose in the vicinity of Milton, we met Mr. H. H. Hallock, 
a vinegar manufacturer of that place. Mr. Hallock informed us 
that the tile drain to his vinegar cellar had become clogged some 
time during the previous May and upon investigation he had 
found that the cause of the trouble was a fungous growth re- 
sembling the “mother” of vinegar. He removed some of the 
tiles at intervals of about twenty-five feet and laboriously poked 
out the fungus until the drain was clear. In about three weeks 
it clogged again. Knowing the destructive effect of copper sul- 
phate on fungi in general it occurred to him to try to remove the 
fungus by putting some of the chemical into the upper end of 
the drain. Accordingly, this was done. About one-fourth 
pound of copper sulphate crystals was placed in the upper end 
of the drain on Saturday. The following Monday it was found 
that a large quantity of the fungus had been discharged from 
the outlet and the drain was again clear. However, in a few 
days it clogged for the third time, and the copper sulphate treat- 
ment was applied again with beneficial results. Fully one-half 
barrel of the fungus was discharged. This was about June 10. 
During the remainder of the season the fungus gave no further 
trouble. 
Our visit on June 13 was timely. A large quantity of the 
fungus lay in a pool of water at the mouth of the drain where it 
could be readily examined. It consisted of brownish, ropy, slip- 
pery masses of various sizes somewhat resembling the so called 
“mother” of vinegar. A small quantity was obtained for 
microscopic examination. It was found to consist almost 
exclusively of hyphz having a diameter of 8 to 11». Some of 
the hyphz were almost wholly destitute of contents, while 
others contained brownish granules which gave the brownish 
tinge in mass. The hyphe were sparingly branched in a dicho- 
tomous fashion. At regular intervals they were sharply -con- 
stricted and at each constriction there was a single spherical 
