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‘simple and effective means here suggested for the treatment of the 
disease will enable the pepper planters in Mysore to combat an enemy 
Mr. J. S. MIDDLETON To ROYAL GARDENS, Kew. 
24, Augusta Road, Ramsgate, 
DEAR SIR, 27th July 1895. - 
AM very much intevested in pepper-growing in Mysore, 
Southern India, but unfortunately a blight attacks the vines, very often 
as they are coming into bearing. It is not the pepper alone that is 
attacked, but even the saplings or undergrowth of the forest trees. which 
spring up very rapidly, suffer also. All over the plantation, at various 
points, this disease attacks these young saplings in patches of from 5 to 
10 or 15 yards square, and I may say kills them off outright. This 
has led me to think it must- be of a fungoid nature, though I cannot 
pretend to any scientific knowledge on the subject. 
As regards the pepper vines, most are attacked at the roots, though 
some are attacked a few feet from the ground, and very soon afterwards 
the vine dries up, having infected most of the other vines in the neigh- 
bourhood. I have tried coal tar mixed with water, and paraffin oil also 
mixed with water, all to no purpose, but I have found great benefit from 
the application of fires, lighted in large numbers throughout the tec 
parts, though a great number of the young vines get seorched and die 
s. 
I have taken the liberty of sending a few specimens of diseased plants, 
and will be glad to come to you personally to give all the information I 
can, if you will kindly undertake to investigate the subject. 
elieve me, &c. 
(Signed) J. S. MIDDLETON. 
DISEASED PEPPER PLANTS FROM MYSORE. 
The disease is caused by an undescribed. fungus closely allied to the 
one called Dematophora necatrix, whic s such dam in 
one when the disease sp c ^ 
which travels in the soil, spreading from plant to plant, and destroying 
the roots. 
When such centres of disease are noted, they should be at once 
isolated by digging a narrow trench about 10 inches deep round the 
diseased patch, thus preventing the outward spread of the mycelium, 
hich cannot pass the trench. 
i5 As there is : cure for plants when the roots are attacked, it would 
be best to remove and burn all plants wit in the infected area, other- 
wise the diseased plants will form a centre of infection by another 
method. EP 
