TRE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CETLON. 951 



thick stems oniamented by the persistent leaf-stalks is strangely 

 happy. To grow this palm quickly a moist climate is necessary, 

 and the seed should be sown where it is required to grow, because 

 it first sends a shoot downwards to a depth of 3-4 feet, and then 

 from the bottom of this shoot the bud, which forms the stem, is 

 developed." (Woodrow). Some few trees that from unknown causes 

 do not flower in spring, put on their flowers in the cold season, 

 and give a scanty supply of toddy, biit in spring many are rendered 

 artificially barren by breaking ofl" the flowering bud as it begins 

 to form. These also flower in the winter season, and are called 

 Basanti. Thej ^q not give above 2^ maunds of juice, but this is 

 of as much value as the 6 maunds which a tree gives in spring. 

 Either the male or female will answer for the spring or winter 

 crop, but the female alone will yield juice in the rainy season. 

 When this is wanted, the fruit is allowed to form, and afterwards 

 the point of the spadix or stem which supports the clusters is cut 

 and allowed to bleed. This does not prevent a great many fruit 

 on each cluster from coming to maturity. Palms managed thus 

 are called Ghour. The fruit ripens in August, but many of the 

 stems continue to bleed until October. 



Cultivation m Europe. — This species is a stove plant. It 

 grows well in good fibrous loam, leaf mould, and sand, mainly in 

 the former. It is propagated by seeds only which must be sown 

 in strong bottom heat. 



Fungal disease of the Palmyra Palm. — In 1906 the Imperial 

 Mycologist, E. J. Butler, described a severe epidemic of disease 

 in palmyra and other palms in the Godavari District of the East 

 Coast of India. '^ As a result of field and microscopic examination, 

 the cause of the disease was stated to be a fungus belonging to 

 the genus Pythium . Butler gave a description of it, under the 

 name of Pytlimm imlmivoritm, in the Memoirs of the Depai'tment 

 of Agriculture in India in February 1907.^ A fuller account of 

 the disease was published by the same author in September 1910, 



^ E. J. Butler. Some diseases of Palms. Agricultural Journal of India, Vol. I, 

 p. 299, Oct. I90(i. 



^ E. J. Butler. An account of the Genus Pythium and some Chytridiaceaj. 

 Memoirs of the Dep- Asricult. in India. Vol- I, Xo. 5 (1907), p. 82. 



