DISEASES 161 



other hand, white ants, in some instances, are 

 known to attack the young trees, independently of 

 the fungus. The fruit of the fungus is produced 

 only on dead wood, and is rarely seen on Rubber 

 plants, but is generally abundant on stumps of cer- 

 tain kinds of trees. These particular fungi are 

 commonly known as bracket-fungi, because they 

 grow out of the stump in the form of a flap or 

 bracket, more or less approaching the semi-circular 

 in shape. The upper surface is concentrically 

 grooved, and its colour is yellowish-brown, with 

 darker concentric bands ; the edge, when the fun- 

 gus is growing, is thickened and clear yellow in 

 colour; the under-side is orange, but afterwards 

 becomes reddish-brown, and it is covered all over 

 with crowded minute holes. The fungus is two to 

 four inches across, and rather thin. It often 

 grows in over-lapping tiers, and when dry is hard 

 and brittle. 



The great amount of mischief done by this fun- 

 gus in Rubber plantations is due to the spread of 

 mycelium in the soil, from stumps infested with 

 it. Obviously, the most certain remedy is to have 

 all such centres of infection in the way of stumps 

 removed. The next best course is to make a trench 



(D 243) M 



