ALLIED FUNGI. 



This subject has alreadj^ been discussed so far as other alleged 

 stages of tliis fungus are concerned. The claim that Trichosphacria 

 sacchari is the perfect stage of Mdanconium sacchari has been shown 

 to be without sufficient proof. The so-called microconidia and macro- 

 conidia of Melanconium have been shown to be in all prol)ability the 

 same as Thielaviopsis ethaceticiis, apparently an entirely different 

 fungus. 



Other species of Melanconium have been described, among which 

 are the following: 



Melanconium saccharinum Penz et Sacc. in Malphigia, 1901, p. 238; Ic. Fung. 

 •Tav. t. LXV, f. 3. — Acervulis hypophyllis, gregariis, longitrosiim seriatis oblongis, 

 1 mm. long., 0.5 lat., nigris, epidermide hysteriodes-rimosa velatis; conidiis ma- 

 jusciilis globoso-eompressis e fronte 24 microns latis, e latere 14 mierone es., ni- 

 grantibus, levibus, liyphulis filiformibus tenerrimis, hyalinis suffultis. Sacchari 

 officinarum prope Buitenzorg, in insula Java. — affine M. bamhusino et M. hyste- 

 rino, sed satis diversum videtur. (from Saccardo.) 



Melanconium iliau Lyon described in a Study of Iliau by H. L. Lyon in 

 Hawaiian Sugar Planters ' Eeeord and by Edgerton. This f unguis is so descrijsed 

 as to be in all grosser appearances exactly similar to Melanconium sacchari. Its 

 method of fruiting is exactly the same, but the spores are very different. They 

 are large and filled with spherical granules, measuring 7-10x1.5-28 mu. 



SUMMARY. 



1. The symptoms of the rind disease are the eruptions on the rind 

 of the cane from which protrude black masses of spores, together 

 with a drying up of the leaves. 



2. The disease has been studied for the last twenty years at least 

 in various parts of the world. 



3. The fungus causing the rind disease has only one known spore 

 form in its life history. 



4. The rind fungus occurs in the Southern United States, all 

 through the West Indies and Demerara; in Natal, ^Mauritius, British 

 India, Java ( ?) , Australia, and Hawaii. 



5. The fungus is what is known as a wound parasite, i. e., capa- 

 ble of infecting cane only through wounds, or cane that is in an 

 otherwise unhealthy condition. It may be classed as an active para- 

 site on certain weak or soft canes such as Bourbon and D116. 



6. The rind disease is caused by Melanconium sacchari, one of 

 the fungi imperfecti. 



7. Treatment of the disease is restricted to the use of hardy va- 

 rieties, to adopting such metliods as will reduce the moth borer, and 

 to grinding the cane before it is overripe. 



42 



