42 



three days before being placed in the boxes This prevents the skin 

 from cracking and materially improves the shipping quality of the 

 fruit. When the b >xes are packed the fruit should stand about one- 

 fourth or three-eighths of an inch above the top. Each fruit is wrapped 

 in a piece of thin paper before b^ing placed in the package. 



Pineapples are the only other fruit crop of importance grown in the 

 State. Three varieties are grown extensively ; the Red Spanish, 

 Smooth Cayenne and the Abbachi The first named variety is usually 

 designated as Common Pine Apple while the latter two are designated 

 as fancy. The common, the Red Spanish Pine Apples, are packed in 

 crates 12 x 11 x 36 with a partition in the middle. The sizes are as 

 follows : 18, 24, 36, and 48. Each pineapple is wrapped in a piece of 

 thick glaced paper before being pLced in the crate. The fruit is 

 placed in with the crown of one toward the base of the next, alternately. 

 The fancy vari ties are usually packed in a different crate, the inside 

 measurements of this being cO x 12 x 22 without any cross partition. 

 These are wrapped as the others and securely packed in excelsior. 

 Sizes 8, 10, 12, etc. 



The pineapples are picked just when the bas3l eyes have commenced 

 to turn slightly. For shorter distance shipping they may be allowed 

 to become riper and for long distance shipping probably not quite so 

 ripe. 



If there are any other points which I have not made clear in rela- 

 tion to the matter I shall be pleased to hear from you and will answer 

 your questions to the best of my ability. 



REPORT ON "BLACK-R TT' DISEASE OF GINGER 



IN JAMAICA.* 



By A. Howard. B.A., Mycologist, Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture for W. Indies. 



The material sent by Mr. Harris consisted of rhizomes of ginger 

 placed in spirit. An examination of these specimens shows that the 

 disease is du^ to a fungus which is able to travel underground by 

 mea n s of bl ick root-like bodies (rhizomorphs.) The affected rhizomes 

 are filled with i he mycelium of the fungus which collects into dark 

 strands whic i run to the surface These strands are seen as dark 

 lines when the pieces of ginger are cut through. They are continuous 

 with the dark root-like bodies seen on the outside of the diseased 

 rhizomes which enable the fungus to spread underground and rapidly 

 destroy the paten of ginger. 



Remedies : The e is little to add to the sugg stions in my memoran- 

 dum of October 28th, 'ast, on this disease besides drawing attention 

 to the nece-sity of isolating the diseased patches by trenches taking 

 care to throw the soil on to the affected areas, and destroying the 

 di> eased plants by burning. Care should be taken to select healthy 

 rhizomes from the best fields for planting and to soak these for a few 

 hou i s in Bordeaux mixture. 



A. H. 

 17.2.02. 



* See previous correspondence in Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, 

 Nov. dt Dec, 1901. 



