A physiological study was made of some of the organisms previously designated "punctiform-colony formers." Reasons are given for considering them as belonging to the group which was seen but not isolated by Winogradsky and called by him the "autochthonous" (i.e., indigenous) microflora of soil. Special attention was given to Bacterium globiforme Conn. In a synthetic liquid medium, under the conditions investigated, the highest % of glucose was utilized when ca. 0.2% was furnished. It is concluded that the organisms convert all the C of glucose or sucrose into CO2 and cell substance. A study was also made of the N consumption by Bact. globiforme on a solid medium containing 0.1% (NH)4 phosphate as sole source of N; 60-90% of the N thus furnished was consumed and 70-80% of that consumed was converted into cell substance. It is concluded that these bacteria undoubtedly help retain, in soil, N that has been converted by other organisms into a soluble form and which, but for the action of this autochthonous microflora, would probably be removed by drainage or utilized by plants. It is still uncertain whether these organisms should be regarded as ordinarily harmful or beneficial. Perhaps they may be either, according to conditions under which they are functioning.