183 
work absolutely to preclude fungoid infection from the surround- 
ing atmosphere during the progress of germination ; but all 
ordinary means are employed to secure cleanliness and speedy 
growth of the seeds ; and the evident conclusion is that the spores 
of most of the fungi that develop in the germination case have 
been brought. into the laboratory with the samples. The 
rough pods of sainfoin carry most spores, and become very 
thickly covered with a rich mycelial growth. Smooth seeds, 
such as rye-grass and meadow fescue, germinate, as a rule, with- 
out showing any mould. It is, however, the quality of the 
seed that is the influencing factor. Fresh, healthy, well-filled 
samples germinate without any trace of fungi appearing ; others, 
of the same kind but from a different sample, become mouldy 
ina few days. * Unless the seeds have quite lost their vitality, the 
fungi do not really injure them or prevent the embryo sending 
out its rootlets, and clovers can grow when the outer coat is 
invisible owing to a thick crop of Chetomium. 
My list of fungi is not exhaustive, as some forms, no doubt, 
have escaped observation; but a varied and interesting collec- 
tion has already been made. 
The higher fungi are not largely represented; there are no 
Basidiomycetes; and, as yet, only three Ascomycetes have 
been noted. Two of these belong to Chetomzum, a genus of 
Pyrenomycetes. They are saprophytic and superficial on what- 
ever substance they grow. Chetomium Kunzeanum Zopf, 
which is perhaps the most frequently met with, has a small 
elliptical fruit crowned at the summit by a bristly head of olive- 
brown hairs, which are unbranched, wavy, and somewhat rough 
when mature. C. e/atum Kunze, which occurs also very fre- 
quently on the same kinds of seeds, is darker in colour, and the 
hairs of the crown are branched and very rough from the begin- 
ning. The ascospores of both species are a dull olive-brown. 
They grow on decaying vegetation, C. e/atwm more especially 
on grass. In the germination case they grow on grasses and 
clovers, and occasionally on turnip seeds. There is no doubt 
that towards the end of each season, the laboratory must be well 
furnished with Chetomium spores, and that may doubtless 
account for some of the infection. I have germinated some of 
the ascospores on a gelatine plate, and have obtained a beautiful 
growth of the Ozdzum-like conidial form, a creeping mycelium 
with upright conidiophores bearing a terminal chain of conidia 
but I have never detected any conidial growth on the seeds 
The remaining Ascomycete, Gymnoascus Reesii Baca I 
found on carrot and on turnip seed. It usually grows on decay- 
ing organic substances such as dung, and it is easy to understand 
how the spores might be blown by the wind on to the ripening 
