Abstract: A multiple inoculation system is provided for the transfer, cultivation, maintenance and identification of microorganisms. The system includes a multiple needle inoculating plate, a separate plate including multiple wells corresponding to the needles for holding inoculum and transferring it to the needles, and a culture dish having a plurality of compartments interconnected with each other in the central portion of the dish. The culture dish is filled with a suitable solidifiable liquid culture medium by pouring the medium onto the central or any portion of the dish so that the medium readily flows into each of the compartments. After the culture medium has solidified, the compartments remain separated from one another so that after the medium is cultivated the spreading of microorganisms between compartments is minimized and mutual interference in test reactions is avoided.