376 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



the seeds being sowed in rows, and the soil 

 between the rows plowed with horses ; second, 

 by UBing both machinery and hand labour for 

 sowing, but working the soil between the rows 

 with horses ; third, by manual labour only, em- 

 ploying the natives. The best results, from the 

 point of view of an abundant crop, were 

 achieved by relying entirely on machinery, the 

 results being 8,613 pounds per dessiatiue (27 

 acres) for machinery, 5,556 pounds for machi- 

 nery and labour, and 4,9-21 pounds for hard 

 labour alone. Manure was used in the first in- 

 stance only. 



The average crop of cotton obtained on the 

 plantation amounted to 3,692 pounds per dessia- 

 tine. but a second crop of 540 to 720 pounds is 

 expected, so that the average for the station for 

 1911 may be estimated at about 4,300 pounds. 

 It is expected that the sale of the cotton crop 

 may bring about $5,800, but as there were other 

 plantations on the ground allotted for the ex- 

 periment, producing an income of $1,185, the 

 total income of the station for 1911 will amount 

 to 86,985. The total amount spent on the orga- 

 nisation of the plantation was $5,263. There 

 was thus a profit of $1,772, and in addition there 

 were 108,300 pounds of the best seeds, which 

 are in great demand and will be sold at 

 good price's, — Bradstrect, March 1. 



BUD-ROT IN THE COGONUT. 



AMERICAN INVESTIGATIONS. 



In writing last week on Coconut cultivation 

 abroad, we made reference to the ravages caused 

 by this disease in Cuba where it has practically 

 ruined the industry The disease has been koown 

 in the West Indies for more than 30 years ; but 

 in Ceylon it would appear to have been first 

 brought to official notice in 1906, when a short 

 circular on the subject was issued by Mr Petch, 

 Government Entomologist. 



Since that year the disease has formed the sub- 

 ject of special investigation by Mr John R 

 Johnston, Assistant Pathologist to the U.S.A. 

 Department of Agriculture, who, after making 

 exhaustive researches, has issued a compre- 

 hensive report (Bulletin No. 228) in which 

 he announces that the disease is caused by 

 Bacillus Coli, or at least an organism 

 indistinguishable from it. This bacillus is 

 of almost universal distribution and is com- 

 monly found in the intestines of man. 

 The virulence of the disease in Cuba will be 

 realised from the following facts : A grove of 

 450 trees was totally destroyed in two years ; 

 another grove was reduced from 1,200 to 300 

 bearing trees within the same period ; a planter 

 who once derived a revenue of £5,00J per annum 

 now gets barely £500. 



These facts should serve as a warning to our 

 local plantprs to take every possible precaution 

 to prevent the disease, which already exists in 

 the Island, from assuming an epidemic form. 

 Being of bacterial origin the malady is easily 

 communicated by animal:-*, birds and insects, and 

 when once attacked a tree may be killed in two 

 months or take a year or more before it succum bs. 

 The early symptoms are the yellowing and fall- 

 ing of the leaves and the dropping of immature 



nuts. Eventually the middle folded leaves 

 bend over, and the entire heart is involved in a 

 vile-smelling soft rot. 



It is somewhat discouraging to be told that 

 the application of various fungicidal mixtures, 

 as remedies, gave unsatisfactory results. The 

 only treatment recommended is of a preventive 

 character, viz., to cut down all deceased trees 

 and destroy them by fire, burning at the same 

 time all debris consisting of fallen nuts, 

 leaves,' &c. In addition to this it is recom- 

 mended that plantations should be maintained 

 in a sanitary condition and proper methods of 

 cultivation practised. 



It is interesting to note that while previous 

 investigators differed in their diagnosis of the 

 primary cause of bud rot, some attributing 

 it to a fungus, others to inseots and so on. 

 Mr. Petch himself, so far back as 1906, was 

 satisfied (see page 224 of his circular) that the 

 organisms responsible for the decay were 

 bacteria, and recommended the felling and 

 burning of diseased trees. He further con- 

 demned the close planting which prevails in 

 many gardens as favouring the spread of 

 disease by preventing the evaporation of mois- 

 ture from the young shoots. 



The village cultivator has yet to learn that 

 fruit-bearing plants need a good supply of sun- 

 light and air, and a definite feeding area for root 

 development, to ensure proper nutrition and 

 promote their yielding capacity. The com- 

 monly-prevailing idea would seem to be — more 

 plants, more fruit. 



On estates under 'intelligent supervision the 

 carrying out of the recommendations referred 

 to may be reckoned upon, and indeed, in 

 many cases the details as to sanitation and 

 cultivation are already receiving attention ; 

 but the constant occurrence of neglected 

 areas in the neighbourhood of estates is a 

 serious menace to the industry, as providing foci 

 for the spread of insect and fungoid pests. 

 One would imagine that the Lowcountry 

 Products Association, which is so greatly in- 

 terested in the coconut industry, would have 

 conceived the idea of formulating some 

 scheme for the maintenance of plantations 

 in a sanitary state, with a view chiefly 

 to improving the condition of the scandal- 

 ously neglected gardens so frequently met 

 with — rank with noxious weeds and decom- 

 posing debris. If pressure in some form 

 could be brought to bear upon the owners or 

 lessees of such properties, the advantage would 

 be two fold, inasmuch as it would remove 

 an existing danger to cultivated estates, and 

 at the same time ensure better returns 

 to the parties who have an interest in the 

 neglected lands. Could not the services of 

 the instructors employed by the Agricul- 

 tural Society be utilised in this connection ? 

 The report under review, consisting of 175 

 pages, is illustrated by 14 plates and 10 text 

 figures, which considerably enhance its value. 



We can only congratulate Mr Johuston on the 

 satisfactory conclusion of his arduous labours 

 and the service he has rendered not only to 

 the American dependencies but to the tropical 

 world at large. 



