w 



disputed, but it turns up so regularly and is so often urged by persons 

 who have only the facts and no previous experience, of such economic 

 questions to guide them, that it is impossible to escape from the duty 

 of giving it careful consideration in every case. The present attack 

 is no exception, and the point is raised in the Commissioners' report, 

 to be summarily dismissed. Insects are well known to prefer as a rule 

 an unhealthy plant to one that is sound, and the only questions for 

 consideration are whether any given insect is equally ready to attack 

 trees irrespective of their state of health, and whether any given case 

 of excessive insect injury is traceable in greater or less degree to a 

 previously unsound condition of the host-plants. 



V.— Fever. 

 The cocoa-nut palms of Honduras appear also to suffer from disease, and 



and at present no accurate account has been given of its symptoms, nor 

 of its prevalence, so that it cannot yet be accepted as a cause of the 

 weevils' increase, but it must be taken merely as a hypothesis to be 



inquired into. From the little known about it, it appears to be allied 

 to one or other of the diseases (if. indeed, they are not the same) 

 observed in Demerara in 1375-6, and in Mont ego ]>ay. Jamaica, in ISO l. 

 Attention has been called to it in Honduras in a recent communication 

 by Mr. Sony to the Colonial Office, of which the writer has only seen 

 an abstract." According to Mr. Hunter, 50 to 80 per cent, of the trees 

 attacked by the weevil show signs of the disease at the top first. This 

 may be merely a misinterpretation of the early signs of injury due to 



ment is of importance and should be confirmed or refuted. In his 

 evidence, Mr. Baber says he "has a small spot on the sea-side in 

 " Serango 1 5 ight (very swampy). He there noticed that the trees died oft' 



"not affected'" W). Mr! ScirnhVld states" that hN 'plantation was 

 apparently healthy on the 21th December. No tree or plant showed 

 any signs of sickness. The hands went away for the Christmas holi- 



some had actually fallen over, others had their fronds broken mid trailing 

 on the ground, while the rest from their yellow and drooping appear- 

 ance showed plainly that theyal-o were diseased. Commentinv; on this, 



