108 AN INQUIRY INTO THE MAIZE DISEASE ; 
AN INQUIRY INTO THE MAIZE DISEASE 
OF THE CABOOLTURE. DISTRICE, 
BY 
J. BANCROFT, M.D. 
(Read on 4th Fune.) 
ON March 2gth, 1886, I received a request from the 
Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Sir S. W. Griffith, to 
inquire into the causes of the maize blight reported to have 
visited the Caboolture district, leading to nearly an entire 
loss of yield of grain in the affected crops. I received also, 
from the Divisional Board of Caboolture, samples of 
diseased maize and the following communication :— 
“Mr. Litherland will bring you some samples of diseased maize. 
Those No. 1 show the disease in the young plant; No. 2, older; 
No. 3, at this stage the disease makes rapid growth, the leaves are 
soon killed, the cob does not fill out, and the consequence is a 
very light grain. No. 4 is quite a different disease, known among 
farmers as the ‘Curl.’ It has made considerable havoc among 
the maize crops the last year or two. We think the disease is in the 
roots, as the plants seem unable to take proper hold of the ground 
and break off very easily—G. W. Matierr, Caboolture, 14th 
April.” 
On examination of the curly disease, the young unfold- 
ing leaves were found to be covered with little enlarge- 
ments, but thrips—insects, which had possibly led to this 
curled condition, were not observed. 
No disease fungus could be found on the roots of the 
maize plants. The foliage had dead strips running longi- 
tudinally in parts of the leaf; but how this was caused 
was not evident, whether by bruising from wind or by some 
obstruction of the vascular tissue. No fungus was found 
on the foliage and no appearance of rust like that on wheat 
and oats, a condition occasionally to be found on maize 
leaves in summer, as I have frequently noticed in former 
years. 
Caterpillars were seen in the immature ears as well as in 
the stems. 
