and Magazine oj the Ceylon Agricultural Society. 



293 



Dr. H. M. Fernando :— How long will the 

 effect of the Bordeaux Mixture last ? 



Mr. Petch :— Judging from the Peradeniya 

 results, where the rainfall is about 80 or 90 

 inches a year, Bordeaux Mixture leaves its 

 effect on the leaf of the cacao tree for a year at 

 least. I should imagine that in the dry dis- 

 tricts it will last longer. I certainly expect it to 

 last over a year. 



Dr. Fernando : — The suggestion is made as to 

 the desirability of adding seme sticky matter to 

 the Bordeaux Mixture to make the solution to 

 stick better. 



Mr. Petch : — If we find it washes away we 

 can add some sticky substance. The material 

 added to whitewash to make it sticky will be the 

 best thing to add. They are using Bordeaux 

 Mixture now in the Cameroons, but in spraying 

 their cacao they mix starch in their Bordeaux 

 Mixture. 



Mr. Felsingek : — Will the fungus find a con- 

 • genial home in ashes ? 

 Mr. Petch : — No. 



Mr. Felsingek : — You might destroy the 

 fungus through the final result of the application 

 of a necessary manure or mixture at the roots, 

 through the result of absorption. 



Mr. Petch : — Introducing the material into 

 the tree through that means ? 



Mr. Felsingek :— Yes ; by manure. 



Mr. Petch : — You apply it — 



Mr. Felsinger : —In the usual way. 



Mr. Petch : — You cannot apply any solution 

 to the roots of the tree and make certain it will 

 go to any part of the tree. We have been try- 

 ing that. That is the hope of mycologists — to 

 give the root medicine and find that medicine 

 gave any particular branch or in any direction 

 you want it to. Up to the present time this has 

 been found impossible. 



Mr. A. K. Beven : — Regarding the bud rot, 

 does the tender frond denote the existence of 

 the disease ? 



Mr. Petch : — It might. As a rule the dying of 



The Centre Spike Indicates bud Rot. 

 The straight upright pike in the centre rots 

 away and falls off. 



Mr. Beven :— It takes several months before 

 the crown drops off? 

 Mr. Petch : — Yea. 



Mr. Beven :— And in the meantime the nuts 

 ripen on the tree. 



Mr. Petch : — If the disease comes in by any 

 one of the fruit stalks the nuts do not ripen, 

 but drop oft. 



Mr. Schneider :— Do you think that the ten- 

 dency of the disease is downwards or upwards ? 



Mr. Petch :— More upwards than downwards. 

 Of course the softer tissue is upwards anil the 

 How of sap is upwards. 



Mr. A. Bawa :— Do you think that trees 

 which are fertilised with artificial manure less 

 liable to the disease than other trees 



Mr. Petch :— As far as I can see they are 

 just as liable as other ones. The first plantation 

 I really saw which had the disease had never 

 been manured at all. Since that I saw it on 

 estates regularly that were manured and those 

 which were not manured. The application of 

 manure does not appear to make the slightest 

 difference. 



A VOTE OF THANKS. 

 Practical Demonstration at "Elscourt.'' 

 The Chairman :— I do not think there is any 

 other gentleman who wishes to put any ques- 

 tions. And as the hour is getting late, I think 

 we might adjourn to "Elscourt" gardens for 

 the practical demonstration. But, before doing 

 so, I must first apologise for being late, and 

 I express my regrets that 1 did not hear the 

 first part of Mr. Petch's very interesting and 

 informing paper. I am sure you will all join 

 with me in according him a hearty vote 

 of thanks. I think his paper has elucidated 

 a number of points about which there was 

 some doubt in the minds of the people and 

 the answers to' the questions will have helped 

 to dissipate a lot of erroneous ideas in the 

 Press. I think it is well that we have had a 

 good deal of correspondence on the question 

 in the Press, and that the attention of the 

 public has been drawn to this disease. I 

 think that now, after hearing Mr. Petch's 

 paper, we have some definite idea about 

 the disease. As far as 1 can see, we may 

 take it as certain that the disease is due to 

 a fungus and that trees can be infected with 

 it, and that it is infectious is proved, as far 

 as I can see, beyond all shadow of doubt. As 

 regards treatment, I think we may be satisfied 

 that the treatment which has been recom- 

 mended has been successful so far as our in- 

 formation goes. With regard to what is to be 

 further done I think that the Society is very 

 anxious to co-operate with the Government 

 and the authorities iu doing what they can to- 



