70 



working sheds I have seen are unnecessarily dark, which with the 

 dampness of the floor is a direct inducenient to the moulds and 

 bacteria to breed and affect the rubber. Though these moulds, and 

 such things as bloodspot generally appear only after the rubber has 

 been drying for a few days, it seems quite clear that they start their 

 attack as soon as the latex is coagulated and probably in some cases 

 get into the latex itself as soon as it is brought in. There really is no 

 reason why the working sheds should not be dry, light, and airy. 

 Washing sheds or coagulating sheds must necessarily be damp, but 

 they can be kept clean and the rubber removed far away from them 

 as quickly as possible. 



Cleanliness in Packing.— In Gow, Wilson, and Stanton's 

 India Rubber market report, January 19, 1911, we read "Complaints 

 are still being received on account of particles of wood, etc., w^hich are 

 found in some of the clean crepe. Also traces of streaky and dis- 

 coloured rubber are sometimes included with fine qualities. It is 

 most important that the attention of Managers should be drawn to 

 these points, as they are liable to prejudice the Rubber in the market, 

 and too much care cannot be taken to insure that thoroughly clean 

 and well planed wood be used for the cases." 



This is not a new complaint, for in the earh^ days of the rubber 

 industry there were great grumbles about the dusty, dirty state of 

 some rubber sent to market. However, there have been great im- 

 provements in this matter of late years, and is quite a treat to see the 

 packing and packed boxes most estates now. Still, it is clear that 

 there are cases in which the packing coolies are not sufficiently care- 

 ful to see their boxes are clean, and it seems a pity good crepe 

 should be spoilt by a little carelessness or hurry on the part of the 

 packer. 



HEVEA DISEASE IN CEYLON. 



Phytopthora Faberi Maub. 



This fungus attacks both Cacao and Para rubber. In 1909 the 

 renewing bark on tapped surfaces died back in some districts and 

 bla^k longitudinal streaks appeared which extended through the bark 

 into the wood. 



The diseased bark was reddish purple, often with a well-defined 

 black border, and in advanced cases exuded a purple brown liquid 

 when cracked. The disease was usually discovered by the cessation 

 of latex flow sometimes all the cuts, sometimes one or two only re- 

 fused to give latex, sometimes the canker only occurred above the 

 tapping cuts and only cuts above it weredr3\ If between the tapping 

 cuts those above the canker were dry, if at the base of the stem all 

 were dry. The fungus is known as Phytopifiom Faben\ and is the 

 plant which causes canker in Cacao pads and branches. It seems to 



