46 



South, the Agricultural Inspector, Federated Malay States, in 

 December, 1915, published a paper on the " Distribution and Field 

 Treatment of Pink Disease " in the Ayrictdtural Bulletin. In this 

 paper we are told that the disease was then known to exist on 154 

 estates (of over 100 acres in extent) in Perak, Negri Sembilan, 

 Selangor, Pahang and Johore. I can add that the disease is not 

 unknown in Province Wellesley and Kedah. It is true that there 

 are certain limited areas where the disease is much more common 

 than in other parts of the country but since 1913 it has become much 

 more widely spi'ead. 



It is sometimes observed that when the main stem or large 

 branches are attacked the fungus apparently dies during a spell of 

 dry weather and the afPected bark cracks and dries up and a lip or 

 callus forms on the healthy bark at the margin of the wound. In 

 some cases the disease is thrown off in this way but more often it 

 begins to develop again as more suitable conditions, rainy weather, 

 arise. The disease first appears sporadically, that is, isolated affected 

 trees are found here and there in the planted areas but unless 

 checked it soon begins to spread. 



Various methods of treatment have been tried and among these 

 I have found only one which I consider successful. Spraying with 

 fungicides need not be discussed at all as it is quite impracticable as 

 a method of treatment of affected trees. If it were considered that 

 the disease might cause a serious epidemic then spraying might have 

 to be undertaken as a preventive measure. 



Brooks and Sharpies considered that the best method of treat- 

 ment was the application of tar to the affected parts of the bark. 

 South in an article to which I have already referred (published 

 Decembei*, 1915) stated " The year's additional experience has, 

 however, shown all the officers of the Agricultural Department 

 connected with this work that the treatment originally recommended 

 by the Mycologists is not sufficiently vigorous and drastic. More 

 cutting and less tarring is generally advisable, while the pest gang 

 should be large enough to make one complete round each fortnight 

 or at the very longest every three weeks." Mr, South may have 

 changed his opinion since then but the conclusions which he arrived 

 at at this date do not appeal to me at all. I think the better 

 treatment is the covering of affected parts of branches with a 

 mixture of tar and crude oil (80 per cent, tar to 20 per cent. oil). 



The whole circumference of the bark well above and well 

 below the area affected should be covered with this mixture. If 

 the disease is found in its early stages the application of the 

 mixture checks its progress and actually in practice no further 

 treatment is necessary in a very large percentage of cases. Should 

 the treatment not be successful the branch may be cut off but only 

 after treatment. 



