ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 



BULLETIN 



MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 



No. 79.] JULY. [1893. 



CCCXV.— SUGAR-CANE DISEASE. 



The following correspondence relates to a disease which has, wi 

 the last few years, made its appearance amongst the sugar-canes in 

 West Indies, and has caused some apprehension. Considerable < 

 troversy has arisen as to whether it is an independent disease, or 

 consequent on previous injury by insect borers. The question has I 

 further complicated by the fact that the fungus at different period; 

 its life-history exhibits three different and distinct forms, leading tc 



supposition, erroneous as it turns out, that the sugar-cane may be 

 affected by more than one parasitic fungus. 



Royal Gardens, Kew, to Colonial Office. 



Royal Gardens, Kern, 



Sir, April 5, 1893. 



I have the honour to inform you that for some time past 

 numerous communications have been addressed to this establishment, 

 respecting a disease which has made its appearance in the West Indies 



2. The injuries which the canes suffer from the attacks of insects, 

 popularly known as " borers,'* have long been known, and have been 

 now pretty completely studied. A tolerably exhaustive account, em- 

 hndving everything that is at present aseertainod. \,\ Mr. Blandford, 

 will be found in the number of the Ken- Hull, tin for July and August 

 of last year. 



3. The disease which is now complained of is of a more insidious 

 kind, and is due to the attacks of a minute fungus. Considerable dis- 

 etission has arisen as to whether the mischief is produced by one fungus 

 or by several, and further as to whether the attacks ol the lungus 

 precede, follow, or are concomitants of the injury inflicted by the 



4. Such material f«>r investigation as lias been hitherto sent to Kew 

 from the several h..taniea! establishments in the West, Indies has been 

 inadequate, and has only yielded ambiguous results. 1, however. 

 received a letter early this year, from Mr. John R. Bovell, Superintendent 

 of the Botanical Station at Dodd's Reformatory, Barbados, from which 

 I enclose an extract, advising me of the dispatch of a very complete 

 series of diseased canes. 



