v2) 
U 
3 DIPLODIA CORCHORI SYD. 
round the stem which gradually increased in density and spread up and down the 
stem. Hence the suggested name of “ black band” disease. Jute plants, as the 
crop is grown in the field, consist typically of a long straight stem which remains 
unbranched until near the apex where the flower-bearing axes arise. Such a stem 
has numerous lateral buds throughout its entire length and from these buds abor- 
tive branches often arise. These branches reach a length of 2-4 inches and then 
almost invariably cease growth and dry up ; they remain as short brown twigs pro- 
jecting from the main stem. It is noticeable in the field that the commencement 
of an infection is frequently from the base of one of these lateral twigs, where the 
dead tissues might be expected to afford an exceptionally favourable medium for 
the commencement of fungal growth. In other cases a leaf, or a lateral bud with 
leaves just open, is seen in a collapsed and blackened condition adhering to the 
main stem, and the disease appears to have spread from this point. As the disease 
extends on the main stem the bark splits longitudinally (Pl. 1, fig. 2) and the bast 
fibres are exposed. In the final stages the fibres can be seen brown and dry with 
the intervening tissues decayed away. Examination of the surface of a blackened 
stem showed the presence of minute spherical black bodies (Pl. 1, fig. 3), suggesting 
pyenidia, and frequently there were visible, even to the naked eye, small white 
azgregations, which appeared to be exuding from the spherical black bodies. On 
rubbing the hand up and down such a stem the fingers became covered with a 
black dust. 
As the season advanced the number of infected plants rapidly increased until 
by the middle of October about 20 per cent. of the early sown crop was infected. 
The late sown crop remained small, about 6 feet high, and was surprisingly free from 
the disease—not one infected plant could be discovered. In addition to the jute 
seed crop at Pusa a quantity was being grown in neighbouring indigo factories for 
seed for the Fibre Expert. These crops all showed the same state of affairs as the 
Pusa crop. Where the jute had been sown early, and the plants were well deve- 
loped and comparable in size to the early sown jute at Pusa, there the same disease 
was found ; crops, however, which had been sown late, and were small in stature 
were free from the disease. A similar result followed from the inspection of the 
Jute seed crop at more distant centres in Champaran. = 
In addition to the jute seed crop in Bihar, a further area was being grown for 
seed on an estate in Kamrup, Assam. The inspection of the Kamrup crop pro- 
vided some very interesting information. On this estate jute (green C. capsularis) 
was extensively grown and the bulk of the crop was bemg cut for fibre, but an area, 
estimated to yield 1,000 maunds, was being kept for seed. In growing a crop for 
fibre the main consideration is to secure long straight unbranched stems which will 
give a good length of fibre. In growing a crop fo. seed the branching of the main 
