126 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



The second fiinous has not been nhserved to fruit on standing" 

 cane, but its spores ])robablY form in alnmdance when infected cane- 

 decays. 



Cane is a crop which, owin*';' to the huifi' period it remains on the 

 ground, often not under the best conditions for growth, is very 

 susceptible to drought and other adverse conditions when the cane is 

 weakened and the stalks are especially susceptible to attacks by fungi. 

 We have also noted that the root disease, by weakening the plants, 

 makes them more liable to fall a prey to other fungi. 



Practically in no other plant crop is it as necessarj% in considering 

 the diseases to which it is subject, to take into careful consideration 

 external influences and conditions of growth. Any one fungus 

 wepkening the cane may make it more liable to attack by another 

 and, periiaps, more serious one. Instead, therefore, of considering the 

 individual fungus only a wider view should be taken, and the influence 

 on the plant of the fungi individually and in combination with others, 

 and the various conditions in which the plant may occur at the time- 

 of infecii(ui, should be taken into account. 



Fig. 4. — A fungus (Sohizophijllum commiaie) common on old cane stalks. 

 A. seen from above ; B. from below and showing the gills. 



It will readily be admitted that fungus whicli attacks a cane- 

 stalk and, while not being deadly to the plant, inverts the sucrose or 

 causes other undesirable disintegration products, is of serious 

 consequence to the sugar industry. Therefore the presence of fungi 

 in stalks of cane is of the greatest economic importance to the 

 industry. 



The yearly loss in sucrose caused by stalk fungi is not easily 

 estimated, but it is probably considerably higher than the majority 

 will imagine, and an inspection of cane arriving at the mills would 

 soon reveal a fair percentage of stalks with these fungi in them and 

 the sucrose inverted. 



AVhen cane is allowed to over-mature the stalks become less- 

 resistant to attacks bv fungi. 



