CONTENTS. 7 



Laboratory unci greenhouse studies of the disease- Continued. 



Cultural experiments — Continued. Page. 



Determination of characteristics of the organism by physical methods. . 124 



Optimum temperature 124 



Maximum temperature 124 



Minimum temperature 124 



Thermal death point 124 



Desiccation 125 



Sunlight 126 



Inoculations for the comparison of the coconut organism and Bacillus coli. . 126 



Experiment No. 1 126 



Experiment No. 2 128 



Experiment No. 3 130 



Experiment No. 4 * . 131 



Experiment No. 5 , 135 



Experiment No. 6 136 



Bacillus coli, the cause of bud-rot 136 



Comparison of Bacillus coli with various organisms isolated from the coconut. . 142 



Bud-rot attributed to causes other than Bacillus coli 146 



Occurrence of the disease on other palms 152 



Microscopic studies 156 



Value of coconut products .'. 159 



Summary 161 



Recommendations 163 



Index 165 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



PLATES. 



Page. 

 Plate I. Diseased coconut tree, showing one spike that has lost its nuts. Frontispiece. 

 II. Fig. 1. Open flower spike of coconut palm with diseased, black- 

 ened tips Fig. 2. Same, more advanced; wilted. Fig. 3. Water- 

 soaked spots on inside of petiole; healthy sword at base 10 



III. Fig. 1. Rotted sword of coconut palm. Figs. 2 and 3. Water-soaked 



spots on inside at base of petiole 14 



IV. Diseased coconut tree at Montego Bay, Jamaica 18 



V. Figs. 1 and 2. Bacterial and fungous spots on middle leaves of coco- 

 nut palm. Fig. 3. Fungous spots on middle leaves 22 



VI. Fig. 1. Diseased coconut trees 3 miles inland from Baracoa, Cuba. 

 Fig. 2. Top of coconut tree blown over on account of rotted base 



of the crown 26 



VII. Diseased coconut trees at Baracoa, Cuba 30 



VIII. Bacterial inoculation, showing destruction of fimdamental tissue 

 about woody fibers of coconut palm; cross and longitudinal sec- 

 tions 40 



IX. Fig. 1. Bacterial inoculation of coconut palm No. 380, showing dis- 

 coloration of the sheath. Fig. 2. Bacterial inoculation of coco- 

 nut palm No. 248, showing decay of inner tissues 44 



228 



