278 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



trees uprooted and examined the root ; the 

 lowest roots were unnatural in colour, and 

 when split open showed some dark spots. 

 The disease appeared to be spreading. The 

 trees attacked looked like those devastated by 

 caterpillars." 



On the above, Mr. Fetch, Government 

 Mycologist, has been good enough to make the 

 subjoined report : 



" The leaves are attacked by the common 

 coco- nut leaf disease caused by Pestalozzia 

 palmar urn. As a rule, this is confined to the 

 older leaves, and does very little harm. If it 

 attacks the young leaves, it is a sign that the 

 tree is in poor health. Such trees should be 

 manured with a potash manure. The death of 

 a frond in the middle of the crown is the chief 

 symptom of a disease which I am at present 

 investigating. Up to the present its cause has 

 not been ascertained. Apparently it has nothing 

 to do with the root, and it is not bud-rot. Is 

 Mr. Wickremaratne certain that the trees 

 which exhibit this symptom die off? That is 

 a point which we have not yet been able to 

 ascertain in other instances. I hope to furnish 

 further particulars of this disease shortly." 



Towards the end of the book we discuss the 

 comparative values of common salt and kainit 

 as possible remedies of the above disease, 

 especially when potash is needed. 



