Vol. XVII. No. 434. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



399 



the observed condition of the soil in the Grenada cases lends 

 no colour to this suggestion. 



My observations in Grenada agree with those of Uorer in 

 Trinidad as to the absence of any fungoid or bacterial para- 

 site in such association with the disease as to suggest its 

 causation. In all cases examined in Grenada, however, in 

 situations as much as 10 to 1-5 miles apart, each smallest flake 

 of the affected cortex in each of a large number of roots 

 collected and examined, contained nematode worms of what 

 seemed to be in all cases the same species,' judging by the 

 gross characters of size and general form. 



A nematode theory of origin would seem to fit exactly 

 the charac teristics and mode of occurrence of the disease as 

 described. It would supply the adverse agent in the soil 

 which Rorer's studies led him to postulate, without conflict- 

 ing, as his hypotheses of unsuitable chemical or physical 

 conditions do, with the observed characters of the soil in 

 these respect.'. The decision as to its probability will largely 

 turn on the association of nematodes with the production of 

 the exactly similar symptoms of the Trinidad disease. 

 Steps have already been taken to make the necessary com- 

 parison. 



Pending decision as to the tenability of this theory, the 

 advice now offered can only be tentative There may be 

 considerable significance in Rarer's observation that the 

 disease most commonly arises on old sugar-cane Unds, which 

 is confirmed, so far as the few cases yet e-^amined go, by the 

 Grenada experience. Some light may be thrown on this 

 aspect of the case when the worm has been submitted to a 

 specialist for identification. The most obvious measure, at 

 this stage of information on the subject of the disease, is the 

 application of a complete system of narrow deep isolation drains 

 to the whole of plots or sections of fields in which this disease 

 has made its appearance, dividing up the cultivation into 

 squares, each carrying a single tree. This course of action 

 I strongly recommend. It wcild seem to be useless to replant 

 places in which trees have died until a period of perhaps two 

 or three years has elapsed. If cultivation is carried on in 

 that period it would seem desirable that sugar cine and 

 banana should be avoided- Cassava may be suggested as 

 a suitable crop. Heavy liming and deep cultivation can be 

 expected to help in cleaning up the soil. Trees which show 

 definite signs of attack may as well be cut down at once. 

 The dis| osition of the top, apart from the possible encour- 

 agement of palm weevil, is a matter of no consequence. The 

 succulent parts might well be used as a weevil trap. 



As evidence of the destructiveness of the similar and 

 probably identical disease in Trinidad, and in justification 

 of a serious view being taken of the Grenada disease, Rorer's 

 remark may be quoted that 'at one time many of the hill- 

 sides in the windward district of Tobago were well covered 

 with coco-nut palms, but now one sees only a few trees 

 here and there, the rest having all died off as a result of the 

 root trouble.' 



By courtesy of the Acting Director of Agriculture, 

 material collected by Mr. llorer in his investigation of the 

 Trinidad root disease of coco nut has been received and 

 examined. A nematode worm, which so far as I am 

 able to judge is the same as that found in all the 

 Grenada material, is present in abundance in these Trinidad 

 specimens. This supports, so far as it goes, my theory as 

 to the causation of the disease by nematodes. I hope to 

 extend my observations on this point during my forthcoming 

 visit to Trinidad. i 



Wm. Nowelt, 

 ( To be continued?) 



EQUATORIAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



A pamphlet has recently been received at this Office, 

 written by V. H. Kirkham, Government Analyst, Nairobi, 

 British East Africa, in which is outlined a scheme for the 

 establishment of agricultural experiment stations in the East 

 Africa Protectorate, which seems likely to make tehse stations 

 not only of local value, but of universal interest. Most of 

 this pamphlet is for this reason reproduced below. 



The Government of the East Africa Protectorate, with 

 the approval of the Secretary of State, has made provision 

 for the inception of a scheme of research directed towards 

 the exploration and development of the resources of East 

 Africa. 



This country and the adjacent Protectorate of Uganda are 

 the only poriions of the British Empire through which the 

 equator passes. The Uganda railway, in its .580-mile tract from 

 the coast to the Victoria Nyanza, rises from sea-level nearly 

 8.000 feet to the edge of the escarpment of the Great Rift 

 Valley, drops into the valley 2,000 feet below, rises again 

 to cross the western side at an altitude of 8,320 feet, and 

 then descends into the Nyanza basin, terminating on the 

 lake shore 3.726 feet above sea-level. ,The meteorological 

 conditions are as diverse as the changes in altitude; tempera- 

 tures vary from the intense heat of the tropical coi.st belt 

 to sharp night frosts in the highlands; rainfall varies from 

 10 inches to 80 inches per annum. 



It is intended to conduct local research upon scientific 

 lines, and to observe the effects of the different meteoro- 

 logical conditions upon the most extensive collection 

 of endemic and exotic plants which can be assembled. 



It is hoped that within the next twelve months plots 

 will have been cleared and laid out at every interval of 

 1,000 feet in altitude, from sea-level to 9,000 feet. It is 

 proposed to plant these plots according to a uniform plan, 

 and to adopt a uniform method of treatment throughout. 

 Meteorological data will be obtained and registered at each 

 station. Laboratory work and microscopic examination of 

 plants vein be carried out in the Government Laboratories 

 at Nairobi. 



It is proposed to arrange the work in two schedules: 

 (A) — plants under experiment; (B) — plants under observation. 



The number of kinds of plants which could be dealt with 

 in schedule B is almost unlimited, and it is with a view, 

 Mr. Kirkham states, to obtain assistance from the outside 

 world in collecting seeds, bulbs, etc. of the greatest possible 

 variety, that this brief account of the scheme is being circu- 

 lated. The behaviour at ihe different stations of plants 

 grown from material thus received will be duly nctified to the 

 donors. 



It is hoped that these equatorial experiment 

 stations may arouse interest in other countrie.s, and that this 

 interest may be shown by gifts of the most varied assortment 

 of material for schedule B. 



In addition to helping with material, it is hoped that 

 those inttrested will notify their wish to receive annual 

 reports, and will make any suggestions which may occur to 

 them- Correspondence will no doubt result in collaboration 

 \Vith workers in other latitudes, whereby the correlations of 

 observati<ms may lead to the evaluition of some factors 

 in plant growth whiih it might not be po.ssible to obtain by 

 experimeiits in any r.ne latitude. 



tJorrespondence, suggestions, pamphlets, miterial, etc., 

 will be cordially welcomed, and should be addressed to the 

 Government Analyst, Nairobi, British East Africa. 



