20 THE WHOLE ART OF RUBBER-GROWING 



treated with powdered sulphur before being covered 

 in. An occasional spraying of the base of the tree 

 with Bordeaux mixture is also to be recommended as 

 a preventive ; but the drastic remedy of destroying 

 and burning the tree altogether, immediately the 

 disease has acquired a firm hold, will alone prevent 

 a repetition of the disaster that exterminated the 

 coffee tree in Ceylon. 



In a recent " Bulletin " issued by the Director of 

 the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, mention is made 

 of the appearance of the terrible Irpex flava, a well- 

 known coffee pest, among Hevea, and rubber 

 planters are warned against interplanting with coffee, 

 which is also liable to attacks of Corticium. More- 

 over, we are told that many trees have been visited 

 by Femes, Termites, and the dangerous parasitic 

 fungi the Diplodia rapax and the Hymenochaete, 

 none of which are ever found in Brazil or in the 

 native habitats of the Hevea. It is quite possible, 

 therefore, that unless planters themselves take the 

 matter in hand by penalising estate managers who 

 invite disease by neglecting the few rules of cleanli- 

 ness that will ensure immunity in this respect, they 

 will be inviting their own ruin. In this connexion 

 some concerted action ought to be taken without 

 delay, with a view to utilising the opportunities which 

 the Rubber Exhibition and Congress in London dur- 

 ing 1911 will, it is hoped, provide for dealing officially 

 with this and kindred subjects of vital interest to 

 the industry. 



When we come to consider the Hevea as a rubber 

 producer we are faced with the undoubted eccen- 



