VIII 



PEPPERS 279 



In a healthy full-grown vine the trunk of the standard is 

 entirely hidden by a mass of foliage, which arises from a 

 number of climbing stems which closely embrace the standard 

 and secure themselves to it by numerous tufts of aerial lateral 

 roots. When such a vine becomes diseased, the first symptom 

 noticed is an appearance which was described as a "staring" 

 look of the vine. This is due to the loss of rigidity in the 

 leaves and leaf -stalks resulting in their drooping. With the 

 collapse of the leaves the dense covering of foliage becomes 

 diminished, and the stalks of the vine and patches of the trunk 

 of the standard come into view. The next noticeable thing is 

 that a portion of the climbing stems fall away from the 

 standards as a result of the death of the roots and consequent 

 relaxation of their grip. Soon the leaves begin to turn yellow 

 and numbers of them are shed. Later all the vine withers, 

 and the standard remains lightly festooned with dead relaxed 

 stalks bearing a few dried leaves. While the upper part of the 

 vine makes no attempt at recovery, the lower part often retains 

 enough vitality to form new leaves or even to throw out fresh 

 shoots, but these in their turn succumb, and I have known no 

 case of recovery when once the leaf -dropping has commenced. 



A similar disease appeared in Cochin-China and 

 Java about the same time as in India. Professor 

 Zimmermann and Dr. Van Breda de Haari wrote two 

 articles on the disease, attributing it to eel-worms. Dr. 

 De Haan considers that the eel-worms do not directly 

 cause the death of the vines, but attributes that to 

 bacteria, the entrance of which to the plant is caused 

 by the attacks of the eel-worm. 



As Dr. De Haan and Mr. Barber point out, the 

 pepper is less able to defend itself from injury by the 

 eel-worm than many other plants, as it is largely a 

 surface-feeder, and the roots tend to collect in the 

 mound on which it is grown. Once the worm has 

 established itself, it meets with ideal conditions for its 

 multiplication. The worms have only a short way to 

 travel to meet with fresh roots. 



The diseases which broke out in the Malabar pepper 

 estates are very interesting. They seem to show that 

 the plants were deficient in vitality or power to resist 

 disease. It must be remembered that pepper is nearly 



