312 



cut, and the branches of any neighbouring trees should be 

 treated with Bordeaux mixture to prevent any further in- 

 fection by spores. 



Ed. 



ANOTHER FUNGUS PARASITE ON RUBBER. 



Mr. E. Betche, Botanical Assistant at the National 

 Herbarium, New South Wales, reports that Dr. Funk of 

 Apia communicated a rather interesting parasitic disease 

 which causes the death of Cocoa and Rubber Trees. The 

 fungus has been identified as Hymenochaete noxia Henning. 

 (Supplement to Tropical Agriculturist, May 1909, p. 502). 

 I have no other record of this observation. However I 

 have lately seen Para rubber roots attacked and killed by 

 a species of Hymenochaete which is probably this pestilen- 

 tial thing. Hymenochaete is a very curious fungus, it has 

 the appearance of a thin layer of bright brown velveteen on 

 a tree or root, under ground it seems to hold to itself the 

 soil, sand, etc., making a thick coat upon the root. It kills 

 the roots slowly attacking large sized roots and causing 

 them to dry up. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 



GAMBIR. 



The question of improvement in the methods of manu- 

 facture of Gambir is one which has a great deal of impor- 

 tance to the Leather trade in England, and attention has 

 been called by the Director of the Imperial Institute to the 

 improved factories of the Dutch in Indragiri, Sumatra. 

 Gambir was formerly grown to a very large extent in Sing- 

 apore, usually in combination with pepper. The cultivation 

 died out almost completely somewhat suddenly in 1894 or 

 about that time and at present few Gambir fields re- 

 main iu Singapore. With the Gambir cultivation went 

 also the pepper gardens. The area formerly under cul- 

 tivation must have been the greater part of the island 

 of Singapore, as is evinced by the immense area of 

 wasted useless ground, absolutely deserted and covered 

 with secondary scrub and lalang. The cause of the aban- 

 donment of this cultivation was due partly to a fall in the 

 price of pepper, but mainly from the so complete destruc- 



