236 



WM. L. OWEN 



Among the secondary injuries to borer infested cane induced 

 by fungi, those resulting from the infection with the Red Rot 

 disease, is of first importance in this State. Of this injury, as well 

 as of the general nature of the disease and the fungus, Edgerton 

 (1911) has made a very extended study. That this fungus 

 plays a most important part in the deterioration of the juice 

 of canes infested with the borer, may be judged from the fol- 

 lowing analyses in Table III of the pubHcationof the above author. 



CONDITION OF CANE 



Sound 



Borer cane 



Borer cane with red rot 



As the greatest infestation of cane with the red rot disease 

 occurs as a sequel to borer attacks the economic importance of 

 the control of this insect is obviously very great. 



It would appear that the burrows made by the cane borer 

 might offer suitable surroundings for the development of many 

 species of bacteria which would inevitably find their way into 

 the interior of the cane stalks. With a view of determining the 

 part played by bacteria in causing a deterioration of the juice 

 of borer infested cane, the writp.r began a prpliminary investi- 

 gation of this subject in the fall of 1914. At that time a large 

 number of borer infested canes were examined, and an attempt 

 made to isolate the species of bacteria occurring therein. The 

 canes were brought to the laboratory, cut into short sections, 

 and the portion of the stalk surrounding the borer wounds, 

 washed off in a 1 :1000 bichloride of mercury solution. A sterile 

 platinum loop was then inserted as far into the interior of the 

 v/ound as possible, and the injured tissue transferred to tubes 

 of sterile culture media. As it happened the media employed 

 for this purpose contained 10 per cent of sucrose. After a short 

 incubation period, an examination of these tubes showed that 

 practically every one of them was undergoing a vigorous fer- 

 mentation. The presence of yeast cells in the tubes was quite 



