148 



vated grounds. A line of distinction should however be drawn 

 between this class of plants and the harmless epiphytes which are so 

 numerous on our garden and pasture tress. In fact the one is the bold 

 and active robber, and the other a harmless citizen, living upon the 

 food supplied by air and water. 



Eobbery is also elFected by the very numerous parasitic Fungi. 

 These were little. known only a few years ago and can only be pro- 

 perly observed under high powers of the microscope, and without 

 such aid it can hardly be understood what seriously destructive agents 

 they can become even to the largest trees of the Forest. If we take 

 a section of wood from a tree thus attacked, we find first, that por- 

 tions are discolored, and if one uses a still higher power, we shall find 

 the interior tissue and cells of the wood permeated by threads of" my- 

 celium which, passing through the walls, disintegrate and disolve all 

 the matter with which they come in contact. 



The result of this interior attack is shown macroscopically by the 

 death of a tree, or of those portions of it which are primarily affected. 

 In some cases, however, it is possible for the vital force of the plant 

 to overcome the attack of the fungus, and to stay its ravages, but it 

 is easily seen that trees without sufficient nutriment (that is to say), 

 planted in poor soil and without a sufficient supply of nutritive mat- 

 ter in the form of manure, or weakened by any special cause Avill most 

 readily succumb to the attack of such insidious diseases. In fact, 

 through want of vitality or constitutional weakness, they are easily 

 robbed and murdered, and the only external sign of the attack may 

 perhaps be, the development at a late period on the cuticle or bark, of 

 the ultimate form of the fungus, or that which developes the repro- 

 ductive bodies or spores, which again become ready in this position to 

 seize upon and destroy any tree to Avhich they may gain access, and 

 which is in condition to form for them a suitable home in which to 

 run their lives course and enable them again to commit in their own 

 way Eobbery and Murder. 



181.-CIRCULAR NOTES. 



Botanical Department, Trinidad. — Circular Note No. 30. 



Sugar Cane Seeds. 



As I have few opportunities of collecting personally, I should be thank- 

 ful to any planter who would kindly send me Sugar Cane Seed for the 

 purpose of cultivation. 



