192 RUBBER AND 



shoots ; fresh shoots grow out from buds lower down 

 the stem to take the place of the dead branches, and 

 but little damage is done. But when the Botryodiplodia 

 obtains a footing, the disease pursues its downward way 

 with great rapidity, and ultimately destroys the whole 

 tree. Here, again, the only remedy is to cut off and 

 burn the diseased portion. This should be done with a 

 clean cut some distance below the lowest signs of injury, 

 and the cut surface should be tarred. 



Botryodiplodia has also been known to attack young 

 stumps shortly after planting. In such cases the fungus 

 probably effects an entrance through injuries in the stem 

 or upper part of the root. The holes in which the trees 

 are planted should in such cases be treated with lime 

 before supplying with fresh plants. 



Burrs and Nodules. 



A common complaint affecting the stems of Hevea 

 trees, to which no sufficient cause has yet been assigned, 

 consists in the development of woody nodules in the 

 bark. These sometimes make their appearance upon a 

 large number of trees at particular periods in a manner 

 highly suggestive of an epidemic, and grow so rapidly 

 as to interfere seriously with the operation of tapping. 

 Hitherto it has not been found possible to show that 

 the nodules are associated with any specific organism 

 attacking the bark ; nor are they constantly associated 

 with mechanical injury, although there is evidence to 



