17 
“I enclose herewith specimens of the Florida Melanose so that 
you can compare the two diseases. It is of course possible that 
the fungus may bear fruit only under certain conditions, and that 
we have never made an examination at the right time to find the 
spores. 
“I shall be interested in any results you may obtain in vour 
study of the malady.” 
While there is not sufficient evidence as to the cause to fix tho 
identity of this disease, still there is a remarkable resemblance in 
the general appearance with the Australian disease. 
Varieties attached .—In Florida the disease seems to attack all 
citrus fruits, but develops more freely on the shaddock than the 
others. It occurs not only on the shaddock but likewise on the 
common sweet orange, sour orange, lemon, and mandarin. 
In New South \\ ales it is only recorded on the sweet orange. 
Parts affected .—It not only attacks the fruit, but also the 
leaves and young shoots, and this knowledge will materially 
affect tho methods of dealing with the disease. It is said to de¬ 
velop most freely on young rapidly growing vigorous shoots, and 
the leaves are much injured by it, so that the general health and 
vigour of the tree is bound to suffer, apart altogether from the 
unsightly appearance it gives to tho fruit. In New South Wales 
it also attacks leaves and young twigs as well as fruit. 
Description of Disease. —It occurs in the form of minute brown 
spots on the parts named. 
On the shoots the spots are at first very small and yellowish, 
gradually increasing in size and swelling and becoming dark- 
brown or almost black. The spots are generally roundish, but 
frequently elliptical and elevated, and it is the elevated spots 
which are discoloured. 
On the leaves the spots are generally round and slightly 
elevated, and the brown spot on the upper surface of young leaves 
has usually a corresponding depression on the under surface. The 
black appearance is more marked on the leaves than the fruit. 
On the fruit the disease is very characteristic, and this is tho 
form in which it is most familar to us. The brown spots or 
blotches are usually run together into long irregular curved lines, 
giving the fruit a peculiar streaky appearance. (Plate I., Fig 1.) 
lliese ultimately become blackish and split up into numerous 
small areas, like the cracking of mud in drying. The disease 
known as a Maori ” may also occur on the same fruit, but this is 
caused by a mite, and the brown discoloration, like a Maori’s face, 
is uniform and continuous and not broken up into spots or 
patches. 
Cause of Disease .—As already stated, I have determined the 
fungus causing tho disease, and it is a species of Cladosporium, 
3316. v. 
