232 



Zea mays, Liiiii. {Gramiiiear}. Indian Corn. 



The smut Ustilago Maydis {Ustilaginaceae) is the only record 

 for this crop. It destroys the col)S turning them into a sooty mass. 



ZiXGiBi:i!, sp. (Scitaniincae). (linger. 



Hypocrella zinziheris, Mass. (Hypocreaceae) was found hy 

 Ridley on the petioles of this plant. The fungus has a bright 

 orange coloured stroma. 



The above brings to a conclusion the summary of fungus 

 diseases of plants in Malaya as hitherto definitely recorded. The 

 list is small and many of our best known farm and garden plants 

 have but a small record against them. This no doubt is due to the 

 fact that the main crops, such as rubber, have hitherto engaged 

 the attention of the few pathologists that have worked out here. 

 As this work increases more attention will l)e able to be given to 

 otlier ]ilants quite important in themselves but not ranking with 

 the main crops of the country. When the next revision of this 

 list takes places it is certain to be considerably increased. In the 

 meantime additions will be published in this Bulletin from time to 

 time as they occur. 



T. F. Chipp. 



Castor Oil as A Crop. 



The Castor-oil plant (Ricmus communis), seems so far, to 

 have attrad;ed little notice in Malaya, and yet, when looked into 

 its cultivation appears to offer fairly good prospects for the 

 small planter, while the industry of mechanical expression of the 

 oil offers a promising opening for the establishment of up-to-date 

 mills. 



It brings prompt returns to the cultivator and its product, 

 whether in seed, or oil, or cake is in increasing demand from home 

 at steadily advancing prices. 



According to the Chemist and Druggist 28th February, 1920, 

 the prices quoted by the presvsers in Hull were £114 per ton for 

 pharmaceutical oil- — £111 for first pressing — £109, for second press- 

 ing. For medicinal French oil, the price was 130/- per cwt. in 

 Ciises. 



The present price (1st May, 1920) of Castor-oil in Singapore, 

 obligingly supplied by the Secretaries of the Chamber of Commerce 

 is quoted at $50 per case of 74 to 75 catties packed in 4 tins, or 

 0.66 per catty. 



The Blue Book vstatos that 861927 gallons of lubricating oils 

 were imported into the Straits Settlements in 1918. the value being 

 $1,036,943. 



We cannot apportion the amount for which Castor-oil enters 

 in this aggregate, but we know that being a heavy-bodied oil and 

 the most viscous of all fatty oils, it occupies a large place among 

 lubricants for machinery, especially for the oiling of fast moving 

 machines. 



