THE BUD- ROT OF PALMS IN INDIA. ^31 



soil exercises an influence on the susceptibility of the palm to attack. 

 Trees along water-courses and in periodically flooded localities, such 

 as paddy fields, die more quickly and in larger proportion than in 

 dry localities. Instances are numerous in low-lying land along 

 the Gautami river and throughout much of the length of the Kou- 

 sica water-course whicli traverses the Amalapur Island. In the 

 villages of Ambajipeta, Gangalakurru, Pulletikurru, Modekurru 

 and Isakapudi the deaths have been most numerous along this 

 water-channel. On the other luuid, little disease has been found in 

 the light sandy soils of the sea coast villages. In the village of 

 Nimekaya-Kottepalli, three or four miles from the sea and with 

 sandy soil, no disease could be found in 1907, whereas Katrenicona, 

 adjoining inland and with heavier soil, had lost a large number 

 of palms. The black soils appear most to favour the disease. 

 Naturally when the parasite reaches a spot Avhere the palms are in a 

 condition favourable to its attacks, it spreads rapidly and becomes 

 greatly multiplied. As a result, neighbouring trees, even if not 

 highly susceptible, are exposed to more intense and frequently 

 repeated chances of infection than those at a greater distance. 

 Hence, as a rule, around such localities the disease becomes progres- 

 sively less severe as the distance from the severely diseased localitv 

 increases. Such minor centres of disease, around which the num- 

 ber of cases tails off, are common all over the district. A curious 

 case was observed at Coringa at the Eastern limits of the disease 

 in 1907. In a single ''tope" or cluster of palms opposite the trav- 

 ellers' bungalow a number of deaths had occurred apparently a 

 considerable time previously, while there was none in any other 

 part of the village seen. The explanation of this was not found : 

 for some reason, not immediately evident, the infectious matter 

 which these trees harboured had not become disseminated to those 

 near by. 



Indeed, the actual mode of spread from tree to tree under na- 

 tural conditions is not yet fully understood. It has been proved 

 that direct application of the parasitic fungus which causes the 

 disease to the crown of a healthy tree leads to infection of the latter. 



