82 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
were in good condition and the general moisture 
conditions about the grove were sufficient. In 
dry localities, or where the trees are out of con¬ 
dition generally, the fungi cannot always be de¬ 
pended upon to check the whitefly sufficiently 
to retain, or to bring the trees back into good 
condition. However, by diligent effort at spread¬ 
ing the fungi, some relief can be obtained even 
under adverse conditions, if these be not ex¬ 
treme. Thus, in a certain grove into which the 
red fungus had been introduced the previous 
year and in which it was not thriving especially 
well, giving only very inadequate relief, a single 
spraying in August, 1908, of the fungus spores 
into 6 trees in part of a row resulted in some¬ 
thing like 10 times the amount of fungus in 
these trees than in those on either side or to 
the ends. Ten times as much fungus, of course, 
implies ten times as many whitefly larvae killed 
and that in many instances, diligent application 
of the fungi would give results fully commen¬ 
surate with the time and money spent. Intro¬ 
ductions of fungi should be thoroughly made, 
and if necessary repeated several times during 
the period of summer rains. The grower must 
not expect the fungi to do it all alone, he must 
help the fungus destroy the whitefly by spread¬ 
ing it at the best time. It should be added here 
that proper fertilizing and cultivation of the 
trees is important, since a thrifty tree full of 
healthy foliage presents conditions favorable for 
fungus growth and, of course, can better w.th- 
stand the attacks of the insects generally. 
In order to start a growth of the Red Ascher- 
sonia, it is only necessary to spray a mixture of 
the fungus spores in water onto the whitefly 
larvae in the infested trees. The spores are the 
seeds of the fungus and are produced in enor¬ 
mous numbers in the red elevations or pustules 
of the fungus covering the dead larvae. The 
writer generally uses about 40 pustules to a pint 
of water. More can be used, or less if fungus 
is scarce. The spores are easily soaked out of 
the fungus and in practice leaves and fungus are 
soaked in the water together. It is not neces¬ 
sary to allow the leaves with fungus to soak long¬ 
er than 5 or 10 minutes, but a longer time does 
no harm and the mixture of spores and water 
may even be allowed to stand for 12 to 14 hours 
without injury. Microscopic examination of the 
fungus after having soaked it in water for a few 
minutes showed that only an insignificant pro¬ 
portion of the spores remained. The mixture of 
spores and water should be strained through 
coarse cheesecloth or fine wire gauze in order to 
remove all particles liable to clog the pump. Mix¬ 
tures of fungus spores and water should not be 
allowed to stand in copper or brass pumps and 
vessels longer than a few minutes as cop¬ 
per is a fungicide and may injure the spores. 
It is best to avoid copper and brass vessels 
altogether. Growths of fungus can generally be 
observed with the unaided eye in about three 
weeks after spraying the spores and water into 
the whitefly-infested trees. The most success¬ 
ful introductions of the Red Aschersonia have 
been made during periods of rain and when 
the whitefly larvae were young. 
Thus one of the most luxuriant growths of 
the Red Aschersonia that the writer succeeded 
in getting was at DeLand, during a period of 
rain in April, 1908, at which time also the spring 
brood of larvae were in the early stage of de¬ 
velopment and very susceptible to infection by 
fungus. Generally speaking, the period of sum¬ 
mer rains is the most certain time to spread fun¬ 
gus and to introduce it into new places. Seed 
fungus can generally be obtained from whitefly 
infested groves in which the fungi have been 
previously introduced or in which they occur 
naturally. Since the fungi do not spread during 
winter, but are nearly dormant, seed fungus is 
sometimes scarce during the spring months, but 
can generally be obtained. By midsummer a crop 
of fungus has matured upon the spring brood of 
whitefly larvae, so that fungus is then abun¬ 
dant. The writer does not recommend intro¬ 
ducing fungus after the period of summer rains 
is over, unless it is desired to get it started in fall, 
when seed fungus is most plentiful, preparatory 
to having it already started when spring opens. 
The writer has successfully introduced fungus as 
late as October and December, and while but a 
meager infection resulted at the time, this spread 
rapidly during the following spring and summer, 
or as soon as there was sufficient moisture and 
warmth. The mixture of spores and water may 
also be applied by a whisk broom when no pump 
is available. 
Other Fungi .—The methods for introducing 
any one of the other fungus parasites previously 
mentioned are in general the same as the meth¬ 
od just described for the Red Aschersonia. The 
Red and the Yellow Aschersonias, however, can 
be introduced with the greatest certainty, and 
as a whole are generally the most efficient, ex¬ 
cepting the Brown Fungus when 'conditions for 
it are right. 
One important point in regard to the Yellow 
Aschersonia must not be omitted. This fungus 
thrives only upon the cloudy-winged whitefly. 
This fact is important, since it would be useless 
to introduce the Yellow fungus on the white¬ 
winged species. The Yellow fungus might al¬ 
most be said to be characteristic of the cloudy- 
winged whitefly since wherever the Yellow fun¬ 
gus is found, there also is found the cloudy- 
winged whitefly. The converse of this is not al¬ 
ways true, however, since this fly may exist with¬ 
out its parasite. 
Pinning Leaves .—Pinning leaves having white¬ 
fly larvae infected with a fungus upon them has 
