DISEASES OF THE DATE PALM. 1^3 



within three or four days after this treatment started, and none 

 came out after about a week of it. Of the 80 trees approximately 

 affected, only three trees have died. The others appear to be 

 cured of the disease and will apparently live, but as the attack 

 did not occur till after this edition went first to press the effects 

 of it on the fruit-bearing capacity of the trees will only be seen 

 later. A more detailed account of the case will be given in due 

 course. Meantime I may mention that we are indebted to 

 Mr. J. Hallahan, Engineer to the District Board, Muzaffargarh, 

 and to the Entomological Section, Lyallpur, for help in connection 

 with the suppression of the outbreak. 



When date trees are tall and the attack as usually happens' 

 occurs near the top of the stem the mud-basin method of 

 bringing the liquid in contact with the insect would not be prac- 

 ticable. I hope, however, to devise suitable methods of dealing 

 with such cases. Several ideas are being worked out and the 

 results of these will be reported later. 



It is most important for the checking of the disease in date- 

 growing localities that all trees showing the symptoms already 

 described should be treated or cut down, and burnt, or the pests 

 in them otherwise rendered harmless immediately. 



When affected trees have been cut down submerging the 

 trunks in water is recommended to rid them of red weevil. This 

 would be useful in the case of slightly affected trees, the trunks of 

 which could be used for building or other purposes. One some- 

 times sees the stems of date palms intended for such pur- 

 poses, submerged in village ponds, etc., in the South- Western 

 Punjab. From our experience already gained I am inclined 

 to think that submerging for a week would be sufficient to 

 disinfect a stem. I hope that some tests will be made soon which 

 will give us further information wanted on this method and 

 on others. It is, however, most important to remember that 

 while a simple coating of tar on a wound will effectually 

 prevent red weevil from attacking that wound, the pest is 

 most destructive and difficult to deal with once it gets into a tree. 



