18 



tain that it is a great mistake to bury, the affected leaves 

 : and tliat as it makes a whole season's difference in the 

 development of the Fungus, such is worthy of the closest 

 attention. Leaf disease I believe to be a special type of the 

 order Uredinales or Mucedin'ales (Fries) to which belong 

 a host of Fungi entophyti. The fungus being once propagat- 

 ed only awaits a favorable season when a plentiful supply of 

 cerial spores are absorbed by the roots and passing through 

 the sap vessels pervade the whole cellular -structure of tho 

 living plant and upon fuller development t the fungus efflo- 

 resces on the leaves and directly interfering with the func- 

 tions of all the most important organs causes incalculable loss. 

 The resting spore, or as it were, the chrysalis spore, probably 

 remains in the soil -nd "is the means of carrying on 

 the life of the fungus until the next season" so that once 

 contracted, the Leaf disease must be expected to return each 

 season with greater virulence, unless means are adopted to 

 eliminate it both from the soil and from the plant, 



This class of fungus has been sub-divided into Albu- 

 gines, Rubigines and Nigredines, according to the different 

 colors, and is noted for great discrimination in its choice 

 of a suitable matrix. Each has particular favorites, in the 

 same manner that the -^Ecidia attacks the gooseberry and 

 leaves the currant bush alone and the Owygena, a curious fun- 

 gus which has never been discovered on anything but horses 

 hoofs lying -to rot in shady places (Johnson). Rot in Coffee 

 has been known to Mysore Planters for years and was I am 

 informed noticed by Dr. Bidie the Commissioner appointed 

 by the Mysore Government to investigate the circumstances 

 connected with the visitation of th e Borer, who is said to 

 have ignored the^presence of the fungoid web altogether and 

 ascribed the cause to defective drainage only, and it is 

 argued that the effect has been mistaken for the cause, In 

 justice to Dr. Bidie it is necessary to remark that he visited 

 the Coffee Districts to enquire into the facts connected with 



