40 



This way of infection is by no means rare as appears 

 from the fact, that canker, which was not uncommon 

 on the estate Suzannasdaal, lias not been met with 

 since, two years ago, ail the trees on that estate were 

 pruned in order to get rid of the witchbroom disease. 

 By this treatment ail infected parts are removed and 

 only the stem and the stumps of the main branches are 

 left. The number of witchbrooms which reappear is very 

 small. 



Diseased trees may also be recognized by their foliage 

 becoming thinner, probably when they hâve been diseased 

 for a long time and are slowly decaying, while dead trees 

 which still bear their leaves, probably suffered a severe 

 attack at once and were soon killed. 



Ail thèse symptoms quite correspond with those of the 

 disease known in Ceylon and elsewhere as „canker", so 

 that it is doubtless the same disease we hâve to deal 

 with hère. 



It was generally called „canker" hère in Suriname, until 

 lately the name „red rot" has come into use. The name 

 „canker" is how^ever préférable, because in other countries 

 the disease has for years been knowm as such. 



It may be observed that another disease in Suriname is 

 sometimes called canker. It is characterized by the accu- 

 mulation of an evil smelling fluid in the wood, through 

 which the stem is sometimes deeply split. When, by 

 making an incision, one causes this liquid to flow out, 

 the tree recovers. To prevent confusion it is better to call 

 this latter disease by the alternative name of „hartiva ter" 

 (literally: „water of the heart"). 



1) See Van Hall et Dr os t. Les balais de sorcièi-e etc. Recueil 

 des Travaux botaniques Néerlandais. Vol. IV, 1908, p. 300. 



