198 DISEASES OF TROPICAL PLANTS CH . 



It is so severe that in many places it has practically 

 destroyed the industry of coco-nut growing. It was 

 first observed in Cuba in 1870, and a Commission 

 was appointed to make a study of it in 1880. In 

 1875-6 it was reported from Demerara, in 1891 from 

 Jamaica, and in 1893 from Honduras. It has since 

 been reported from Trinidad and British Guiana, 

 and in 1896 Fetch reported a disease from Ceylon, 

 India, and East Africa which is very similar, and may 

 prove to be the same. 



The disease makes its first appearance in the bearing 

 trees, the young trees being comparatively free and 

 healthy until the plantation is well infected. The 

 young and, finally, the half-grown nuts drop, but the 

 ripe nuts may hang on the tree until it is dead. As 

 the disease advances the flowers blacken and die soon 

 after breaking from the sheath, and often before the 

 sheath breaks open. In case the flower-cluster is well 

 advanced before it is attacked, the disease does not 

 seem able to follow the hardened tissues to the base ; but 

 in case the cluster is young it may penetrate to the 

 base, and no doubt does penetrate the bud of many 

 trees in that manner. 



The leaves begin to yellow irregularly, i.e. the 

 young leaves may be yellowed in advance of the older 

 ones. They eventually break (Fig. 70), and this may 

 be considered a good indication of the presence of 

 the disease. As the disease advances, the young 

 trees as well as those bearing fruit become affected. 

 However, a yellowing of the leaves is not always an 

 indication of bud rot, since the yellowing may be due 

 to any one of several causes, such as drought, excess of 

 water, attacks of insects. 



The third and last stage is the rotting of the bud, 

 a condition which is frequently the first to be noted by 

 the grower. This stage has been described by Home as 

 follows : 



The first stage of this is the appearance of watery, decayed 

 spots on the surface of the unopened leaves. These spots must 



