76 .JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE OF P. R. 



for 110 dressing, no matter how carefully applied, will be permanent. 

 In fact, the usual method of covering the wound with paint or car- 

 bolineum and then considering the matter finished, often results much 

 M'orse than if 'no care were given at all. This is because of the cheek- 

 ing or formation of cracks in all wounds of any size, no matter how 

 well they may have been covered originally. Such cracks provide 

 ideal lodging places for spores, and subsecpient infection by rot. 

 This will explain why it has been the experience of some growers 

 that more wood rot apparently Avorked in through treated than 

 through untreated wounds. 



The method of procedure to be followed to overcome this dif- 

 ficulty is simple. At the time the pruners go through. the grove all 

 old wounds should be re-inspected, and any showing cracks or other 

 evidence of unprotected wood should be given another coating of 

 gas tar, or whatever other material is in use for the purpose. Large 

 wounds will in this manner often require an annual coating for a 

 number of years. 



PINK DISEASE (Corticium .sdlmouirolor). 



One of the striking diseases of the bark is the so-called pink 

 disease, due to a fungus technically known as Corticium salmoiii- 

 color. In other parts of the world, Java and Ceylon in particular, 

 this is a most serious disease, attacking a large nuinber of economic 

 plants, and much attention has been directed to it. xVmoiig the many 

 hosts reported have been Citrus spp. rubber {Ilevea and Castilloa), 

 tea. coffee, chinchona, cocao, nutmeg, pepper, coca, gandul oi- pigeon 

 pea, mango, and cinnamon. 



In Porto Kico this disease has been foinul so far on l)iit Iwo hosts, 

 the grape fruit and sweet orange, and in isolated instances only. 

 It is ver-y pi-obable that at least the gandul (Cajauus indicus) is 

 also attacked, since it is so wddely planted in citrus groves, ])ut no 

 certain cases have yet been found. 



The first report was received during a very wet period of weather 

 in the fall of 1915, and additional cases have been found from time 

 to time since. There are no indications that the disease will ever 

 become serious. The absence of large tracts of woodland, in which 

 the disease could vegetate during dry periods, will probably explain 

 in large measure the failure of this potentially serious disease to 

 assume alarming proportions here. 



In such instances as it has been found, it has been present on 



