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citri. Numerous groves where the fungus infests Aleyrodes have since 
been examined, particularly in the vicinity of Crescent City and Gaines¬ 
ville, Fla. The fungus has been provisionally identified as Aschersonia 
tahitensis Mont. It occurs in orange groves at Crescent City, Bartow, 
Panasoftkee, Gainesville, and Manatee. In the noted groves of Citra, 
Fla., where some 300 acres of orange grove are literally black from the 
effects of u sooty mold ” following Aleyrodes, no signs of Aschersonia 
have as yet been discovered. Many other groves in the State where 
Aleyrodes citri occurs still remain free from this friendly fungus. 
Experiments have been started to spread Aschersonia tahitensis 
into uninfected groves, both by introducing small trees harboring 
affected Aleyrodes citri pupae and also by artificial means. 
In the town of Gainesville, where for a number of years Aleyrodes citri 
has been very abundant and destructive, the trees are now acknowl¬ 
edged by general accord to be much better than they have been since 
first attacked. An examination of the trees here shows Aschersonia to 
be very abundant. On many trees it is indeed difficult to find a living 
pupa of Aleyrodes citri. In such cases the lower surfaces of the leaves 
are thickly dotted with the orange-red pustules of Aschersonia. 
When the parasitic fungus ( Aschersonia tahitensis) has grown to 
maturity it is easily removed from the leaf, the switching of the leaves 
and branches resulting in the removal of many of the pustules. The 
bright green spots, where the surface of the leaf is thus revealed, sur¬ 
rounded by the black “ sooty mold, ” are quite conspicuous. 
The growth of Aschersonia tahitensis on the larvm and pupae of Aley¬ 
rodes causes the scale to noticeably enlarge. The liyplue of Ascherso¬ 
nia burst out around the edge of the scale, forming a dense fringe. The 
mycelium gradually grows up over the scale and eventually entirely 
surrounds it, so that in the advanced stages of the fungus it is difficult 
to find the fragments of the Aleyrodes scale. 
A species of Aschersonia , probably the same as that infesting Aley- 
rodes citri, has also been discovered at Gainesville, Fla., growing in con¬ 
siderable abundance on a waxy scale ( Lecanium) of the sweet bay tree. 
This scale also secretes lioneydew in considerable quantities and is fol¬ 
lowed by the u sooty mold.” 
In the present stage of the investigation it can not be positively 
stated whether the spread of Aschersonia will be rapid enough to - 
materially check the ravages of Aleyrodes citri, but appearances point 
strongly to this conclusion. The matter is being investigated and will 
. be reported upon later. 
Subtropical Laboratory, 
Eustis , Fla. 
