146 
VEGETATION WHICH ATTACKS CRYSTALLIZED SUGAR. 
NOTICE OF A MICROSCOPIC VEGETATION WHICH ATTACKS 
CRYSTALLIZED SUGAR. 
By M. Paten. 
During the summer of 1843, M. Payen investigated the cause 
of a remarkable alteration that took place in crystallized sugar 
at several of the refineries of Paris, which was manifested by a 
reddish coloration, and by small cavities disseminated over the 
surface of the sugar, changing its appearance and rendering it 
unsaleable, and found it to be due to a minute cryptogamic vege- 
tation, which grew at the expense of the sugar. This year an 
analogous change, without the reddish coloration, was observed 
by M. Bayvet in his refinery, which M. Payen has determined 
to be due to a similar cause. 
With the assistance of his friend Dr. Montague this crypto- 
gam is considered new, and the name Grlycyphila has been 
given to the genus, the plant of 1843 being Glycyphila erythros- 
pora, and that of the present year (1851) Glycyphila elcespora. 
The small plant -which constitutes this parasite, like many in- 
sects, and even certain cryptogams, lichens, or algae, hollows a 
species of cave or pit, at the bottom of which it is visible by 
means of a magnifier on account of its olive-grey color, wdiich 
the whiteness of the sugar makes more apparent. When taken 
from its place of deposit and examined in water with a micros- 
cope magnifying 800 diameters, it is seen to be composed of 
ramose, articulated, hyaline filiments, and of colored sporules. 
Those who wish to acquaint themselves with the minutiae of 
these microscopic plants, are referred to the full account in the 
Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. xi. p. 311 ; whilst the leadingresults 
of MM. Payen and Montague are thus summed up in their com- 
munication to the Academy at Paris. 
" 1. A cryptogamic vegetation, propagated by its sporules, is 
transported in the air and unequally disseminated there. 
2. These corpuscles fall in large quantities on the smooth, 
solid and crystallized surface of white sugar, which is soon af- 
fected, and converted in parts into water and carbonic acid. 
3. The apparontly spontaneous consumption of the sugar, 
nourishes an imperceptible vegetation, which, without doubt, 
also possesses itself of traces of nitrogenous substances in- 
