65 



" A brown liquid oozes out through the cracks in the cortex and 

 forms a rusty patch which usually turns brown afterwards. On 

 cutting into this patch, the internal tissues are found to be discoloured 

 and decaying ; they are brownish and finally turn black. If the 

 diseased area is cut in wet weather, the liquids sometimes squirts out ; 

 in fact, it may in some stages be collected in a glass by simply 

 pressing on the diseased patch. After some time the black patches 

 appear on the trunk, usually on the same side. When this happens, 

 it will generally be found that this is not a new infection, but the 

 disease has worked up or down inside the stem, and the liquid has 

 found a new outlet. . . . It is important to note that there is no 

 sign of the disease until the liquid oozes out, and when this occurs 

 the internal tissue is already decayed to some extent." 



On one estate in Perak I have made observations on palms 

 affected by the similar rusty and finally black patches from which 

 a bi'own liquid oozes. In every way the external and internal 

 appearances correspond with Fetch's description but I have never 

 been able to isolate the fungus Theilaviopsis ethacetica from the 

 affected tissues. 



It is quite possible that this effect is produced by the same 

 cause as in Ceylon but of course no definite statement as regards the 

 disease can be made until the fungus is isolated from diseased tissue 

 and infections are' made from the cultures. 



By cutting away the decayed or diseased parts of the stem and 

 covering the wound with a very liberal coating of tar it is possible 

 to prevent the patch from enlarging or spreading up or down the 

 tree to other parts. Fetch recommended that after cutting out the 

 diseased tissue the wound should be burnt with a torch and then 

 covered with hot coal tar. All diseased parts cut away are burnt, 

 and should it not be possible to apply this local treatment in 

 advanced cases the whole palm should be cut down and burnt. 



Pegtalozzia falmarum. — This fungus is the cause of a leaf 

 disease in this country as apparently in most pai'ts of the tropics. 



Bernard found this fungus to be the cause of a destructive 

 epidemic in the Banjorwangi Fresidency, Java, in 1905-6. 



In this country as far as my experience goes the disease is only 

 found among young plants either in nurseries or in plantations after 

 planting out. The fungus is extremely common as a saprophyte on 

 dead leaves and the withering lower leaves of healthy palms. 



In the first stages little whitish transparent spots appear on the 

 leaves. The spots increase in size and coalesce, forming irregular 

 areas of dead tissue on the leaves. A brown ring surrounds each 

 area immediately outside which tlie tissue has a pale green or 

 yellowish colour indicating whei*e the fungus is growing into the 

 healthy part of the leaf. The tips of leaflets and edges become 



