LI 
106 
DXIV.—SUGAR-CANE DISEASE IN BRITISH GUIANA. 
The rind disease cu, to a fungus, Trichospheria sacchari, which is 
doing so much damage to the sugar-cane in the West Indies, is discussed 
e Kew ie for 1895 (pp. 81-88), where references are given 
ia Mute dr art 
The fo quem holes taken from the Demerara Argosy of Novem- 
ber 16 records ve existence of the disease in British Guiana, and its 
probable effect the crop. It is satisfactory to observe that the 
systematic hanni? of the diseased canes is advocated as Bed abel 
in the Kew Bulletin for 1893 (p. 152). But the further precaut 
necessary of taking scrupulous care eJ is use perfectly lénlihy c canes 
or propagation, Kew Bulletin, 1893 (p. 348). 
* Although a few showers have fallen throughout the colony, consider- 
ably heavier in some places than in others, the drought cannot yet be 
verd years, the ne edie na a peared among the canes and is 
causing a loss of juice that is variously estimated at from 10 to 20 per 
cent. A leading planter informs us that the quality of the juice is not 
affected by the fungus, as is the case when canes attacked by the borer 
are crushed along with good canes; but the quantity is seriously 
ected, the portion of the cane which the fungus has at itacked having 
arene left in it but fibre. At the Royal. Agricultural Society’s 
meeting on Thursday the question was discussed, and Mr. Howell 
Jones expressed the opinion that by leaving e of the apen canes 
in the field, and burning all the megass from the cane mill, the fungus 
would be prevented from spreading and soon be eradicated. Athough 
the disease is said not to affect the quality of the juice, the crushing 
throughout the colony generally is giving results in saccharine richness 
somewhat under those of the corres sponding period of 1894. But pro- 
bably the juice will inteusify as the season advances; and let us hope 
that the market will follow suit. At inei dark sugar is fetching 
$2.20 in the street for American refiners, a price which is better than 
the worst, but far too low to be regarded "with satisfaction 
The following letter from the Government analyst gives a valuable 
aecount of the extent of the disease and the measures taken for its 
contro. 
Mr. J. B. Harrison TO ROYAL GARDENS, Kew. 
overnment Laboratory, Georgetown, 
Dear Sim, Demerara, March 3, 1896. 
Mn. JENMAN has shown to me your letter to him concerning the 
prevalence of rind disease in this colony, and the alleged apathy "with 
which its appearanee has been treated by the colo nists. Fro your 
letter I am inelined to think that you are not in possession of all the 
facts relative to this matter. 
Since the first accounts of the prevalence of this disease in the West 
Indian Islands reached the colony the keenest interest has been taken 
in the matter by the planters, and from time to time many na the 
ited Barbados 
managers have vis | and inquired into the state o: irs 
there 
It was not, however, until you kindly supplied us with mem of 
Mr. Massee's Sorge that we were able to recognise the ved therein 
deseribed as one constantly present in the tissues ead and dying 
cae ti colony, n no matter how their death was caused. Teos that 
