RUBBER PLANTING 185 



with enormous numbers of very minute holes. The 

 latter represent the openings of the tubes in which the 

 spores are produced. 



According to Fetch, the disease makes its appear- 

 ance as a rule when the plantation is from one to three 

 years old. This is due to the fact that the fungus 

 spores do not attack the living trees directly. The 

 spores, however, germinate readily on dead jungle 

 stumps remaining in the soil, and develop a vigorous 

 mycelium. Stout strands of mycelium, known as 

 rhizomorphs, then grow out through the soil, and are 

 able to attack the living roots of Hevea. 



When the presence of this disease is recognised in 

 a plantation generally owing to the blowing down of 

 one or more trees immediate steps must be taken to 

 destroy the affected trees and to prevent further loss. 

 The roots of all affected trees must be dug up and 

 burnt, and in particular the jungle stump in which the 

 evil originated must be found, dug out and thoroughly 

 destroyed by fire. When the limits of the group of 

 affected trees have been ascertained if necessary by 

 digging down to examine the roots a trench from 

 1 8 inches to two feet in depth should be dug right 

 round the affected area. The earth removed in digging 

 should be thrown inside the trench. The ground 

 enclosed within the trench should be deeply dug all 

 over and lime forked in, and the bottom of the trench, 

 which must be kept clear of weeds, should be covered 

 with the same material. Fetch does not recommend 



