19 



the visitation of the Borer which was essentially, a conse- 

 quent on drought and I may be pardoned if I suggest that 

 he saw the effect* of the Rot only as he did., not I beliovs 

 visit the estates in a wet- season of the year to make an. 

 investigation of a scourge brought on by drought.. 



Rot (Pellicularia Koleroga) (Cooke) maybe classed 

 among the Mucedinoe. It is generated in aoild, surcharged: 

 with decaying vegetable matter, in faulty mechanical and, 

 chemical condition. 



What its peculiar requirements or special food are 13 

 yet undetermined, but as it has not yet appeared in Ceylon 

 where cultivation is carried on in the open, and> is a type 

 "hitherto unknown to science of a well knowing genus ** 

 ( Cooke,) suffice it for the present to say that it is generat* 

 ed and propagated 'among forest 1 debris which consists of 

 the droppings of a thousand different trees and that tha 

 Coffee tree is of a nature suitable to its requirements. Tha 

 mycelium threads ascending, probably, from the ground afc 

 tach themseves to the stem and creeping on, extend over the 

 under surface of the leaves and 'upon tho complete develop* 

 ment of this epiphytic fungus a web is formed which assis- 

 ted by its "gelatinous element-" (Cooke) hermetically seals 

 the breathing pores of the leaf and causes it to rot in heavy 

 rain. A careful examination of the soil in the vicinity of 

 trees suffering from Rot shows large quantities of vegetable 

 matter in a semi-decomposed state and 1 completely bound 

 together with, fungoid 5 filaments. I strongly recommend a 

 careful' and- Scientific examination of a sample of this matter 

 and I am confident that such will satisfactorily prove that 

 the fungus is in the soil. Like all other parasites however 

 it lives on the principle of individual responsibility and th<3 

 smallest portion possible is able to take good care of itself,, 

 hence the idea of rubbing the stem to break the com- 

 munication of the fungus with the soil would be apparently 



