361 



There is not much danger of a semi-parasite Hke Loranthus 

 killing its host-tree, but it can do extensive local damage by enfeebl- 

 ing the branch on which it grows, crowding out some of the smaller 

 branches and causing the death of others owing to the heavy shade 

 depriving them of Hght. It may also be indirectly injurious by 

 allowing the entrance of fungi and bacteria at the swollen, cankered 

 place which is sometimes produced where it attaches itself. If the 

 parasite is not removed, the seeds will be distributed in the manner 

 in the manner described above, and besides being spread to other 

 trees they may give rise to numerous additional plants on the tree 

 originally attacked. 



Treatment. To cut off the stem of the parasite is only a tem- 

 porary remedy, as the " roots " left inside the branch possess the 

 power of putting out fresh stems. If it is taken while still young, the 

 whole plant can easily be removed. The lateral *' roots " are not 

 well developed and can be got at by cutting into the bark. Where 

 the parasite is strongly established nothing but sawing off the 

 branch will completely eradicate it. All exposed surfaces should of 

 course be made smooth and given a coating of coal tar. A search 

 should be made on other kinds of trees near the estate, and any 

 branches bearing the parasite should be cut off. Further attacks 

 would thus be prevented. 



Kuala Lumpur, E. Bateson, 



nth October, 1911, Assistant Mycologist, 



F.M.S. 



A BLEEDING RUBBER TREE. 



A planter ia Johore sent some time ago an account of a rubber 

 tree which continued for a long time to exude latex without any 

 apparent reason. Possibly other of our readers have come across 

 similar instances. 



The tree is, he says, a well grown tree, originally a seed planted 

 at stake in October 1908, growing on a very old grey clay flat on the 

 edge of a drain. The girth of the tree on August 17 was 12 inches at 

 three feet from the base, on three occasions I have dug out large 

 lumps of rubber from the base of the tree. "The first time was 

 a year previously and the last at the date of his letter, when he 

 obtained 2 pounds of rubber. The roots of the tree are quite healthy 

 and the tree by no means top-heavy, the branches not too large for 

 the tree to support and there is no reason to suppose that the tree 

 has had a wrench from a high wind. The latex oozes from the point 

 where the large roots proceed from the collar of the tree. The latex 

 also gushes out at a point where one of the branches joins the main 

 trunk and runs down the stem. 



