454 [ THE DATE PALM. 



DISEASES. 



Of the fungous parasites affecting the date-palm in 

 these Islands the worst is Graphiola Plioenicis whose 

 yellowish tufts of fructifications are visible on both 

 surfaces of the leaflets, as well as on the leaf-stalk. In 

 autumn and winter these yellow tufts become brown or 

 black, and dry off, leaving a dead spot on the green, 

 tissues ; but the disease is so frequent that it is hardly 

 possible to find a date palm which is not suffering from 

 an attack of this disease in varying intensity. The effect 

 of the disease is to cause the foliage to age and decay 

 earlier than normally and the vital functions of the tree 

 are affected in proportion to the severity of the attack. 

 Spraying in early spring with Bordeaux mixture or with 

 lime and sulphur mixture has been found beneficial, but 

 tall trees are little amenable to this treatment, and as 

 their foliage is always exposed to the breeze, they are 

 less liable to a severe attack. 



