162 PLANTING IN UGANDA 



round each stump, and if lime is procurable to 

 work some into the soil round each stump. A pre- 

 paration known as " Fungal " is excellent for this 

 purpose, and could, with advantage, be worked 

 into the soil throughout the plantation. Its effect 

 on soil fungi is drastic. All fruits of the fungus 

 appearing on stumps should be collected and 

 burned, otherwise the spores are scattered far and 

 wide, and start new centres of disease. 



Black Blight 



(A sterina tenuissima.) 



This fungus, and allied kinds, form black 

 patches, or stains, on the bark and fruit of Hevea. 

 In some instances, there is a mere blackish stain ; 

 in others more or less velvety patches are present. 

 These fungi are not parasitic; they live on the 

 sugary secretion from the nectaries at the base of 

 the leaf, or on the sugary secretions of various in- 

 sects. Spraying with an insecticide would meet 

 the case, but the fungus does no harm, and unless 

 present in great quantity it is scarcely worth the 

 trouble. 



