Streptomyces is bacteria that is gram positive and appears long and filamentous under a microscope.  Macroscopically, Streptomyces can appear in a variety of colors, but the colonies look hard and dried out  on the surface.  In addition, Streptomyces has a pungent earthy odor, which gives soil its natural smell.  An enriched media is made with the purpose of supporting the growth of Streptomyces, which produces antibiotics.  Colonies with the physical characteristics are isolated into pure cultures and tested for gram positive or gram negative samples, spores, aerobic respiration, and production of antibiotics.  These tests are used to identify Streptomyces as being able to produce antibiotics to kill bacteria such as e.coli.