158 



THE AGRICULXrRAL NEWS. 



May 18, 1918. 



PLANT DISEASES. 



SUGAR-CANE DISEASES IN THE WEST 

 INDIES. 



The current number «'t the 11 est Indian Bulletin con- 

 taini- a detailed review by Mr. .1. \\. Johnston, Pathologist 

 of the Central Experiment Station, Cuba, of the diseases of 

 sugar-cane in the West Indies. Information concerning the 

 history, causation and symptoms of each disease, the original 

 accounts of which in many cases are widely scattered in 

 literature difBcult of access, is brought together in a form 

 convenient for reference. 



In order that the paper might supply as far as possible 

 a complete survey of the distribution and status of sugar- 

 cane disease in this region, the manuscript was submitted 

 to, and, excepting Trinidad, has been annotated by the 

 3-esponsible pathologists of the cane-growing areas from 

 V'uba to British Guiana. The notes appended give evidence 

 of no important divergence of opinion, and subject to 

 possible differences of emphasis, the paper may be taken 

 adequately to represent the present situation. It is to 

 be hoped that it may have an influence in checking the 

 persistent text-book currency of the series of early errors 

 associated with the description of Trichospliacria Sacckari, 

 Massee. 



Apart from the great epidemic of the nineties on the 

 Bourbon cane, the interest of which, owing to the general 

 adoption of resistant varieties, is now mainly historical; and 

 the new epidemic in Porto Rico, which is too ricent to have 

 revealed its true significance, the outstanding interest of 

 the present day is with the root disease associated with 

 Marasmiiis Sacckari. The remaining affections, where they 

 are not trivial, are local and incidental; root disease is 

 general in its distribution, and, under frequently recurrent 

 conditions, serious in its effects. 



The presence on the base of canes and on the trash of 

 •white mycelia other than that of Marasmius has been 

 commonly noticed, and there is no doubt that they 

 liave often been confused. Three of these fungi are 

 here described as the outrome of attention given to root 

 disease in Porto Rico. Iliinaiit'ia stellifc>-a, Johnston, is 

 regarded as identical with what has been previously 

 known as the 'stellate crystal fungus'; its mycelium 

 is distinguished on a general view by the feathery pattern 

 it assumes in its growth and, on microscopical examination, 

 by the stellate crystals of calcium oxalate borne on short side 

 branches. It is commen on cane and pasture grasses. 

 Odontia sacchnricola and O. Saccliari, Hurt, are Basidio- 

 roycetes of very simple form. The first-named, 'the granular 

 leaf-sheath fungus', is very common in I'orto Rico at the 

 base of cane stalks, binding together the lower leaf-sheaths. 

 The only visible damage resulting is the rotting of the 

 .''heaths infested. It occurs on healthy and unhealthy cane, 

 and its chief importance arises from the readiness with 

 which its occurrence may give rise to the assumption that 

 Marasmius is present. O. Sacckari is a similar but rarer 

 species. 



It would be well worth while to investigate more closely 

 the occurrence of these fungi in other localities. The .same 

 cc similar species are common in some of tlje Le.sser Antilles, 

 with at least one other form in which the hypliac are combined 

 into strands of various thickness, and lieavily encrusted 

 ■with needle crystals of calcium oxalate. 



The control of root disease i.s discussed at some length, 

 the recommendations being on familiar lines. Some interest- 

 irg information emergrs as tfi the views taken of varietal 

 xesistance to the disease. 



With regard to Mclanconitim Sacckari, the rind fungus^ 

 the subjtct of so much dispute, the conclusion reached, to 

 which no objection is entered, is that the damage due to it 

 typically occurs only in over-ripe or injured cane, though 

 occasionally it is the only fungus to be found in mature canes 

 affected with a rot marked by sourness and a dingy ajipear- 

 ance of the tissues. The -severity of infestation with this 

 fungus, even when conditions appear favourable to its 

 development, as in severe moth-borer seasons, is observed to 

 vary greatly for reasons not yet explained. 



Collctiifrick/tm fcflca/um is now litt'e noticed, but it may 

 be again recorded here, from recent instances, that it is very 

 liable to occur with unreduced virulence, reproducing the 

 symptoms of the old 'rind disease', when plots of Bourboa 

 cane are tentatively tried. 



W.X. 



THE FOOD SITUATION IN BERMUDA. 



It appears that, although fSermuda is so much nearer to 

 the United States than these West Indian colonies, it has 

 been placed under the same regulations with respect tn the 

 exportation of foodstuffs. Mr. E. A. McCallan, the Acting 

 Director of Agriculture, Bermuda, has forwarded to this OfHce 

 an interesting report on the steps that are being taken in that 

 colony to increase the local production of foodstuffs, and t» 

 lessen the colony's dependence on imported foods. The 

 matter is, in the first place, under the direction of a committee 

 of the Board of Agriculture, and in every parish local 

 committees have been appointed to stimulate production in 

 their respective districts. 



These local committees are evidently, as the report 

 shows, doing excellent work in a very thorough manner. 

 Besides the holding of general nieetings, and tlir issuing 

 of pertinent bulletins, the members of the local committees 

 undertake individual house to-house visits in which the 

 necessity of increased vegetable and live-stock production is 

 explained, and instructions are given in household economy, 

 and in the best methods of cultivating kitchen gardens. In 

 connexion with this matter, members of these committees 

 undertake in many cases not only to distribute packets of 

 vegetable seeds, but also the growing of vegetable seedlings 

 for distribution among kitchen gardeners. In many cases 

 lectures are given to housewives on subjects of household 

 economy, cookery clas.ses are held, useful 'war' recipes are 

 published and distributed, and deiuonstiations in methods of 

 preserving food, as for instance by canning, are also given. 

 The schools are visited and prizes have been offered for work 

 in school garden.-. 



The results of this diligent work seem to have been 

 most satisfactory. The local committees, in general, report 

 that there has been a very considerable increase in the 

 extent of land under cultivation of food.stuffs, especially of 

 staple cro|)s; that there has been an extension of school 

 gardens, and that much grass land and many flower gardens 

 have been put under food crops. There has also been an 

 increase in the number of small live stock produced, especially 

 pigs, goats, and rabbits, so thai the Incally produced food 

 for home lonsuinption has been inutli augmented. Another 

 result has been the inception of a vigorous campaign for the 

 extermination of rats, oh account of the loss c' lused by their 

 depredation on stored food. Efforts are also being made to 

 kfce|i the sparrow in check becau-e of the damage to growing 

 crops. 



