DISEASES OP THI CAROB TREE ] 123 



keep well. The Avola carob is a good Sicilian variety, 

 producing broad pods, rather short and thick, of a 

 light chocolate colour. This variety keeps well for a 

 long time, and is productive. The Candia carob has the 

 same appearance and keeping qualities of the Cyprus 

 carob, but is less sugary and often thinner, although 

 generally more productive. Unfortunately these foreign 

 varieties, and others lately introduced rarely produce 

 pods of the same rich quality as those imported from 

 their respective native country. 



DISEASES OF THE CAROB TREE. 



The Carob tree is very liable to canker of the heart- 

 wood, but fructifications of the fungi concerned are rarely 

 met with. Four species of Polyporus have been found 

 on the carob in these Islands, viz. Polyporus sulphur eus 

 Fr. var. Ceratoniae Risso, /\ frondosus Fl., P. lividus 

 Leys, or Ganoderma lucidum Karst. and P. ignarius (L.) 

 Gillet. 



Polyporus sulphureus var. Ceratoniae was first found 

 at Kala (Gozo) and afterwards at Chain il Gbira, and 

 develops as a large branching mass of a sulphur yellow 

 with orange-red markings. It is poisonous. P. frondosus 

 was found at Rabato near the Catacomb of Saint Agata, 

 and produces a huge mass of dirty creamy white fructifi- 

 cations in the cavity of the trunk of cankered trees. It 

 is very friable, with a floury appearance and odour. 

 Ganoderma lucidum was found several times at Uiecl 

 Incita, Krendi and Boschetto. It has a large flat pileum, 

 oval in shape, inserted sideways, about 15 c. m. in trans- 

 verse diameter. It has a corky consistence, and is smooth 

 and shining and of a violet-purple colour on the upper 

 surface, chocolate brown on the undersurface which is 

 studded by pores. This fungus has a well-marked and 

 characteristic odour of carob beans. P. ignarius was 

 not seen by me, but has been reported on the carob tree 



