23 



converting it into food for the higher order of plant. I 

 can positively assert that the effect is marvellous. 



Last season I carried out the operation extensively with 

 the result that the disease did not kst 15 days, whereas in 

 places not thus attended to, the disease continued until every 

 leaf was destroyed. As before remarked I am confident 

 that there is a period -during the monsoon of about 15 days 

 when all growth of weeds and trees actually ceases and 

 I maintain this is caused by complete saturation of the 

 soil. This is one of the particular conditions we want to 

 make our arrangements to prevent, it being undoubtedly 

 contemporaneous with the period when the fungi are spring- 

 ing into activity. A few days sun developes the enemy, 

 which o-nce formed must inevitably pass through its various 

 phases. 



I strongly advocate the use of Lime &nd Wood ash coupled 

 with pickaxing and surface drainage. I suggest that all 

 digging and mixing of the soil in wet weather be entirely 

 discontinued j such tending to increase plasticity, and the 

 liability to remain in a sodden state, during the rains. Dig- 

 ging should be always considered essentially a fine weather 

 operation. If weeds and debris are abundant, such should 

 on no account be buried deeply but should be allowed to 

 decay in heaps on the surface, or in renovation pits and be 

 utilized subsequently as manure. " Scraping and burying 

 in " is a most objectionable process and should be discontinu- 

 ed. The " turning in " of weeds is a very different opera- 

 tion and one much to be recommended, being adopted by 

 Gardeners in England and elsewhere. It consists of digging 

 the surface to the extent of a few inches, each spadeful 

 being completely upset thus the weeds are superficially 

 buried and the soil improved. The old system consisted of 

 scraping all weeds and debris into a deep trench which was 

 then covered up and the surplus soil from the pit scattered 



