and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society, 



289 



Much of this criticism arises from a miscon- 

 ception of the duties of a mycologist. It is 

 his duty to tind out what is causing the 

 disease, and to prescribe remedies. In the 

 course of that work he will visit estates to 

 obtain facts and material, but he cannot pos- 

 sibly visit every estate. And when a disease 

 has been investigated and a remedy recognised 

 as sufficient, it rests with the planter to apply 

 it, because the mycologist must pass on to 

 other diseases. Some people appear to think 

 that the mycologist will go down and cany out 

 the actual treatment. If your Medical Officer 

 of Health advises that certain drains should be 

 cleaned out, you do not expect him to come and 

 do the work. Again, the mycologist spends his 

 time over the diseases which are reported to 

 him, and in proportion as they are reported : 

 it is 



Absolutely Impossible for lain 

 to travel round the country searching for un- 

 known diseases, and at present he has quite 

 enough work sent in. He is not an inspector of 

 nuisances, and he has no power to enter on any 

 land or order anything to be done. It has 

 been suggested that the Indian Department of 

 Agriculture should be invited to investigate this 

 disease now that most of the facts are known. 

 Purely, in self defence, I quote a brief history 

 of the palm disease of the Godaveri Delta :— 

 "September, 1904. Brought to the notice of the 

 Government. August, 1905. District visited by 

 the mycologist. There was no doubt that a 

 disease existed because in some places 70 per 

 cent, of the trees were dead. October, 1906. 

 Accounts of the disease published, and remedies 

 prescribed. October, 1907. Successful infec- 

 tions with the fungus." I am sorry to say, 

 gentlemen, that I have had to devote the last 

 half of this paper to a personal explanation. 

 I shall now be very happy to answer any 

 question which you may wish to ask. 



The Discussion. 



Mr. S. Weekackody, Mudaliyar ; — Is it suffi- 

 cient if the diseased parts are cut out only and 

 the wounds not burnt or tarred ? 



Mr. Petch :— You must cut out the whole of 

 the diseased tissue. You then leave a huge 

 wound in the stem for the fungus to go in again. 

 I do not think it advisable to leave the wound 

 unoovered. Then the question is what sort of 

 cover would be best. If you burn the wound 

 without covering it you only take out what little 

 Is left of the disease after cutting out. Burning 

 Is necessary because you cannot get the tar to 

 stick cm tho wet wound*. 



Mr. Weekackody :— What is the best time to 

 cut out diseased parts — dry or wet weather? 



Mr. Petch :— You will have to go on doing it 

 whether in rain or sun. (Laughter.) The best 

 time, however, is in dry weather. 



Mr. Weekackody :— Supposing in the case of a 

 young tree you burnt the wound and it dried, 

 would not that suffice ? 



Mr. Petch :— No. 



Mr Weekackody :— -1 noticed bleeding from 

 wounds for some days after treatment. 



Mr. Petch : — I should prefer the burning to 

 be done the same day. If the wound bleeds 

 again it means that the work has not been done 

 well. If you get out the whole of the diseased 

 tissue I don't think there would be any bleeding. 



Mr. Weerackody:— I noticed a tree about 

 thirty years old and about 20 feet of the stem 

 was riddled with holes which exuded juice. Can 

 such a tree be treated ? 



Mr. Petch : — You can treat it. You can cut 

 out the whole of the outside of a tree without 

 killing it. 



Mr. Weerackody :— The whole of the bark 

 has been cut out in this tree to the hard wood 

 and left as it is without being burnt or tarred. 



Mr. A. K. Beven :— In such a case will you 

 advise the removal of the whole of the bark Y I 

 have a tree barked up to 24 feet. 



Mr. Petch :— You will have to treat it in that 

 fashion. 



Mr. Beven : — Will there be any harm Y 

 Mr. Petch :— You must cut out all thedis- 

 eased tissue. The only alternative is to cut 

 down the tree and destroy it. Somehow you have 

 got to get rid of the diseased tissue on the 

 outside. 



Mr. Beven : — As regards young trees 1 

 noticed wide cracks opening in the cut-out por- 

 tions inviting 



The Red Beetle to Enter. 

 Mr. Petch :— The wood of the interior of a 

 young tree is sappy and when you expose it to 

 the sun and air it will crack. 



Mr. Beven ; — Is there any treatment to pre- 

 vent this cracking ? 



Mr. Petch :— Not that 1 know of. 

 The Hon. Mr. John Fekovso suppose 

 the alternative in the case of a badly diseased 

 tree is that it should be destroyed ? If left alone 

 it will not only die but would be a danger to 

 the otstate. 



