96 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
time densely covered the erect stroma. They were transferred to 
a sterile petri dish containing Standard Nutrient Gelatine. After 36 
hours, small radiating colonies became visible to the unaided eye. 
Previously, the germination of the colourlous, oval-shaped conidia 
was observed with the aid of the microscope. After 6 hours the first 
signs of germination occurred, the spore sending forth one or two 
fine mycelial tubes. Sometimes the germination and development 
reminded, on account of the much enlarged spherical cells produced, 
of the development of common yeast spores; at other times the germina- 
tion resembled more an ordinary hyphomycetous fungus. The growing 
colonies formed beautiful objects. Radiating from the central spore 
the hyphæ produced circular rays, which appeared slightly iridiscent 
when holding up the dish and looking at the colony through the medium. 
After a few days the surface of the petri dish and of “slants” in test- 
tubes became covered with a dense mass of tufty hyphe of a creamish 
. or pale orange tinge. Small portions of these were carefully removed 
and examined. Abundant spores had been produced in the meantime. 
They are born in long chains from 2-11 on finely drawn out flask-shaped 
sterigmata which are produced from the main or lateral branches of 
the mycelium in “whorls” from 2 to 7. They were, however, also 
observed singly. The spores produced in the cultures sowed themselves 
all around the growing fungus masses and new colonies were constantly 
observed and watched. The spores and sterigmata were measured 
and were found identical in every respect with those grown in pure 
cultures from European material. ‘The fungus on the Canadian cocoons 
hence was identified as /saria farinosa. 
II. 
There has long been the conception that Jsaria farinosa grows 
parasitically on insect larvæ of various kinds. All textbooks of my- 
cology agree on that point. In the absence, however (at least I was not 
able to discover any records), of demonstrating experiments, these 
statements did not exclude the possibility that the Jsaria may occur 
secondarily. It was just as likely that it grew saprophytically on 
cocoons or larve that had died previously. In view of the fact that 
the larch sawfly was increasing here and elsewhere, it was thought 
advisable that the parasitism of the fungus, if such existed, would play 
an important role in the control of this enemy of tamaracks. 
I must thank here my friend and colleague, Dr. Hewitt, for placing 
material in form of Jsaria covered larch sawfly cocoons at my disposal. 
These cocoons were placed together with the moss in which they were 
imported from England into a flat glass dish. The moss was moistened 
and a well-fitting lid preserved the moisture satisfactorily. The cage 
