passing into the Nectria, the ascigerous stage. From these 

 observations it would appear to be reasonable to assume 

 that the life-history of the canker fungus of cacao may 

 resolve itself into a Cephalosporium-Fusarium-Nectria life- 

 history ; but this must be regarded as being little more 

 than mere speculation in the present state of our know- 

 ledge. At any rate it represents a line of investigation 

 which may be followed. 



No less than the canker fungus does the die-back fungus, 

 Diplodia cacaoicola,) require further investigation. This 

 fungus occurs almost wherever the plant is cultivated, but 

 it causes more damage to the plant in the West Indies 

 than in any other country. At present it is regarded by 

 several authors as being synonymous with no less than 

 four other species, viz., Botryodiplodia Theobromae, 

 Patouillard, Macrophoma vestita, Prilleux and Delacroix, 

 Lasiodiplodia nigra, Appel and Laubert, and Botryodi- 

 plodia elastica, Fetch, the fungus finally resolving itself 

 into Lasiodiplodia Tkeobromae, Griffon and Maublanc. It 

 will no doubt be generally accepted that the present 

 Diplodia cacaoicola only represents a stage in the life- 

 history of an ascigerous fungus. Recent investigations of the 

 fungus at Kew have shown that from the stroma in which 

 the perithecia of Diplodia are embedded a Fusarmm-form 

 is produced when the perithecia are in a young condition 

 and before they become erumpent. There is, however, at 

 present no indication of an ascigerous stage. A knowledge 

 of the life-history of this and of the canker fungus may 

 considerably alter the methods which are now practised in 

 treatment of the two diseases. 



The question of the identity of Thielaviopsis ethaceticus, 

 " pineapple fungus of sugar cane," as a definite unit or as 

 a stage in the life-history of Trichospharia Sacchari is an 

 interesting problem which should lend itself readily to 

 investigation. 



A careful investigation of the crops which are used in 

 rotation with sugar cane is a problem of great importance. 

 At present it would appear to be probable that some of 

 the crops which are used for this purpose are not entirely 

 immune to attacks from Marasmius Sacchari. 



Finally, the different capacities for resisting fungus 

 disease and adverse climatic conditions possessed by the 

 different varieties of the cotton plant is worthy of mention. 

 Some improvement may be expected from the selection of 

 the existing varieties and from the production of new 

 varieties by hybridisation. 



II 



