SUGAR-CANE 85 



The disease is especially destructive on the island of 

 Java, and also occurs in Bengal, Southern United States, 

 West Indies, Mauritius, British Guiana, and the 

 Hawaiian Islands. 



It grows readily on the pineapple and many kinds 

 of plants, and is no doubt frequently carried by insects 

 and gains entrance to the host plant through the wounds 

 which they make. 



Care should be taken to select healthy plants for 

 cuttings. These should be cut carefully with clean 

 knives, and the cut surfaces dipped in Bordeaux 

 mixture. 



Went believes that Massee has confused this fungus 

 with Trichosphaeria sacchari, and that the macro - 

 and microconidia of T. sacchari are identical with T. 

 ethacetica. Howard also believes that T. sacchari 

 and T. ethacetica are identical. 



The Cacao Disease (Diplodia cacaoicola, P. Henn.). 

 -This is a stem disease caused by a fungus which is 

 said to grow on the dead branches of the cacao (Theo- 

 broma cacao). 



The fungus is both saprophytic and parasitic on the 

 canes, causing them to become shrunken and wrinkled 

 longitudinally. Elongated blisters containing spores 

 are formed in rows on the surface of the caries. 



These blisters burst and the spores exude in strings. 

 In appearance they somewhat resemble the melan- 

 conium stage of Trichosphaeria sacchari, Massee (see 

 p. 81). In dry weather the spores form a black crust 

 over the surface of the cane. The disease was first 

 reported from the German colony of Kamerun in West 

 Africa, but has since been reported from Bengal and the 

 West Indies. Destruction of the debris in both cane- 

 fields and cacao-groves is the only effectual remedy. 



Iliau (Gnomonia iliau, 1 Lyon). This disease is 

 peculiar to Hawaii and is the cause of heavy losses. 

 It was first described by Cobb, who was inclined to 

 believe that it was largely due to a lepidopterous larvae, 



1 Melanconium iliau. 



