131 



the leaves showed the yellowing, the terminal bud falls over and 

 the tree dies. These areas were isolated from one another by 

 considerable distances, although the first one was reported on the 

 windward side of the estate. This district is considered to be a 

 dry one, the soil being a good sandy loam, but it was ascertained 

 that the diseased areas were limited to the driest portions of the 

 estates, where the soil was of a poorer character than usual. 



In Mayaro the disease was distributed throughout the interlands 

 of one estate, and many instances of trees dying out were noticed. 

 This portion of the estate was low-lying, damp and poorly drained. 

 The coco-nut trees were fairly good, and it was only in the badly 

 water-logged situations that the trees were dying in any great 

 numbers. 



It has, therefore, been observed that although the fungus that 

 causes this d'sease is commonly met with in many of the coco- 

 nut districts in Trinidad, it limits its destructive ravages to such 

 places where the soil conditions are unfavourable to healthy plant 

 growth. It has been shown, however, that this fungus can cause 

 considerable damage and would certainly do so in a season unfa- 

 vourable to the host plants and, therefore, it is necessary to con- 

 sider what measures should be adopted to eradicate it from those 

 portions of the estates where it is causing damage, and to prevent 

 its further distribution. 



31. A consideration of the life history of the fungus and the 

 relation between it and the coco-nut suggest the remedial 

 measures likely to be effective in dealing with the disease. The 

 measures suggested can only aim at the reduction of the amount 

 of the disease and at keeping the fungus well in check, for it 

 would be impossible to suggest treatment that will entirely eradi- 

 cate it. The remedial measures must be divided under two 

 heads : — 



(1) Those which will destroy or weaken the fungus and, 



(2) Those which encourge a more vigorous growth of the 



coco-nut, so as to enable it to better withstand any 



attacks of the fungus. 



(1) The spores of the fungus, under favourable conditions exist 



in such numbers that unless these are destroyed it is possible for 



the disease, given warm and moist, or windy weather, to spread 



very rapidly : — 



(a) All dead trees should therefore be cut down, all the por- 

 tions carefully collected on the spot where the tree once 

 stood, and the whole burnt. Great care should be exer- 

 cised in collecting the portions of diseased plants, and 

 the burning should be done in the diseased-area of the 

 field, for if diseased leaves are carried or dragged about 

 the field there is much danger of spreading the disease. 

 Although it is only the leaves and petioles that are 

 diseased, it would be wise to burn as much of the tree as 

 possible in order to prevent decaying stumps being left 

 about the plantation to become infected with other 

 diseases and pests. 



