TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATE 221 



in sight, although it must be confessed that progress is 

 being made along some of the lines of observation, and 

 planters are beginning thankfully to take advantage of 

 such scientific knowledge as has been placed within their 

 reach, but at present with only lilliputian effect, for it 

 appears to require a " Gulliver " to put out the fire of 

 disease which is believed by some to have started during 

 recent years, although there is strong evidence that most 

 of the diseases are endemic, and have existed in the forest 

 from past generations. Some young planters are com- 

 mencing study with good effect, and it is upon the united 

 effort of men of the younger generation that the continued 

 success of the cacao interest will depend ; for it is certain 

 that no single specialist or worker can solve the problem 

 of the control of disease on cacao estates, though he may do 

 much useful work. At present the tendency is to centralise 

 work in this direction, and to carry on investigations based 

 upon imperfect data, and why?— for fear of another stepping 

 in, getting an organism determined or a disease diagnosed 

 before A, B, or C has worked it out. It is thought, however, 

 that if the line of work were publicly laid down, many a 

 volunteer would be very glad to assist ; but we fear official 

 prejudice is somewhat against this perhaps too radical a 

 view of the matter in question. While working on parasitic 

 fungi the meteorological problem has to be considered, and 

 the questions arise : Are parasitic fungi solely responsible 

 for the falling of young pods ? Are the meteorological 

 conditions of the moment responsible ? Or is the bearing 

 power of the tree determined by its strength, and are the 

 pods shed naturally, in order that it should not reduce its 

 vitality by excessive production ? In a proper examination 

 of these questions it is probable the solution will be found. 



