82 



excavated soil into the diseased portion, and not outside it. This 

 method, which was first suggested bv Hartig, for the purpose of 

 preventing the spread of subterranean fungi in the german forests, 

 cannot be too strongly commended, especially where the diseased 

 patches are small in area. The amount of success depends entirely 

 on the thoroughness, combined with an intelligent me' hod of 

 carrying out the work. Half attempts invariably result in a loss 

 of capital without benefit. It may be enough to suggest that the 

 disease may be spread by the spores of the fungus, or infected 

 soil being carried by the shoes of labourers, by dirty tools, wheels 

 of carts, animals, &c. from diseased centres. Diseased and fallen 

 trees, and especially stumps and roots, should be at once destroyed 

 by burning. The soil surrounding diseased stumps should be 

 burned after the stumps have been removed, so as to destroy the 

 smaller diseased portions of the root that remained behind. 



A second preventive method, which has proved of service in 

 France, is to lay bare the trunk as far below the surface of the soil 

 as can be done without injury to the tree, and to densely coat the 

 exposed trunk and adjoining soil with powdered sulphur. This 

 should be repeated, when the channel round the trunk becomes 

 filled up with earth. If, as stated by Mr. Wight, the New Zealand 

 fungus first attacks the trunk just below the surface of the soil, 

 this method should prove beneficial if preserved with. 



Stagnant water should not be allowed to remain in the soil, as 

 this favours the spread of the fungus. 



Finally, in those cases w T here the fungus has completely devas- 

 tated large areas, it is probable that such will be deserted as un- 

 profitable the trees being allowed to lie and rot, and the fungus to 

 spread in the soil. This is disastrous, being in fact a nursery for 

 the development and diffusion of the enemy. 



It is not the object of this note to suggest whose business it is to 

 prevent such shortsightedness, but to impress emphatically that 

 such a condition of things should not be tolerated. 



Geo. MASSEE. 



NOTES. 



Rubber Planting in Penang. 



When such a usually conservative people as Chinese squatters 

 voluntarily take up the planting of Para Rubber, it shows how deep- 

 ly the idea that the cultivation of Para Rubber will give a hand- 

 some return, has taken root. As an alternative to planting spices 

 the Chinese in Balik Pulau, Penang, under the fostering care of 

 their District Office, Mr. Hereford, are planting Para Rubber; a 

 few thousand seeds having been supplied them for the purpose. 

 Should these trees eventually yield latex as freely as the one in the 

 Botanic Gardens there, the Chinese will have no cause to regret 

 their substitution of nutmeg for Rubber cultivation. 



