520 



over to a depth of two feet on three or four occasions at intervals of a 

 fortnight, and roots, branches and wood of all kinds collected and burned 

 along with the dead tree. 



There are usually large logs which cannot be burned without 

 endangering neighbouring sound trees. Such logs should at least be 

 scorched and then piled up on their ends. The entire tap root of the 

 dead tree must be taken out. There is no occasion at this stage to 

 leave a large hole where the tree grew. It is advisable, though, to dig 

 out the earth for a radius of a foot and to a depth of two feet deep 

 round where the dead root was, and to burn all roots and pieces of 

 wood turned up so that the bed for a new supply may be clean. The 

 hole should be filled up again, care being taken not - to fill in bits of 

 wood so plentiful on every clearing. If the hole is left open, a certain 

 area on which the excavated soil lies will escape being turned over. 



The circular trench should be cut carefully and as narrow as 

 possible otherwise the earth taken out of it will cover the inside area 

 so heavily that the "turning over" vrill not go down deep enough. 

 Lime should be liberally applied and covered over at the first dig- 

 ging ; it should be also scattered in the trenches, which must be 

 kept cleared out to the proper depth ; all logs or roots crossing them 

 must be cut through. 



The object of the trenches is to prevent the fungal threads from 

 spreading as they are not, as far as my observations go, to be found at 

 a greater depth, except on tap roots, than one and a half or at most 

 two feet. The inner trench is to prevent infection of the ring of trees 

 adjacent to the diseased one, but as they may be already infected the 

 outer trench is dug ; only a few may be infected, consequently radial 

 trenches are made as well. 



In practice it will be found impossible, owing to the intervention 

 of huge logs and stumps, to dig trenches as regular as the figure in- 

 dicates ; the planter must use his discretion as to where he will cut 

 them ; knowing their object he will have no difficulty in selecting the 

 best positions. The stumps near the dead tree should be removed if 

 possible ; at least the soil should be cleared away round their roots as 

 deep as the trenches, and an attempt made to burn them : even if 

 they are not consumed completely the fungus will be burned off. 

 Their lateral roots should be cut off and destroyed. It would be well 

 to isolate all jungle stumps within the trenches. 



These precautions must be carried out to their fullest if the 

 disease is to be eliminated. Many planters are dissatisfied unless they 

 are given a simple remedy which can be applied in a few minutes to 

 a diseased tree. The preventive measures here suggested require some 

 labour, especially since dead trees generally occur singly and widely 

 apart. For this reason and perhaps because they are not in the routine 

 of work they are postponed, not carried out in their entirety, or totally 

 neglected. Experience shows there is no saving in abridging the pre- 

 ventive methods recommended, but in the end a distinct loss. More 

 trees die down and longer trenches must ultimately be dug at greater 

 labour cost than if the full directions had been followed when the first 



