The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



mention of special circumstances or points 

 of interest in connection with a disease 

 should not be omitted because they do not 

 come within the answers, but should be inclu- 

 ded as useful additional information. It is advis- 

 able for a planter to describe the most con- 

 venient way of reaching his estate from the 

 nearest railway station jn case an officer 

 may have to make investigations on the spot. 



Usually too little material is sent, and that in 

 a bad condition. Specimens should not be sent 

 in small envelopes as is too often done; in this 

 way they arrive too dry or shrivelled up, and the 

 quantity is usually too small. Moist specimens 

 should be carefully packed in a ventilated box ; 

 so should pieces of stem, branch or root. Leaves 

 should be put out flat between sheets of news- 

 paper cut to a convenient size and protected by 

 cardboard on the outsides. Leaves should not 

 bo sor t alone, but with twigs. 



It is undesirable to send specimens in bags, 

 as is frequently done. A stem or root should be 

 tixed in a box by screwing a nail through one 

 end of the box and into the wood of the plant. 

 Specimens such as leaves and pieces cut out of 

 root or stems, besides being forwarded in a dry 

 state, should also be sent in alcohol— one part 

 ordinary whisky or arrack added to two parts 

 water, using if possible a fairly wide-mouthed 

 but not necessarily large bottle : the cork should 

 be sealed. 



It is best not to send a specimen which has been 

 dead for a long time: on those numbers of diffe- 

 rent post mortem fungi and bacteria are usually 

 to be found, and the real source of trouble can 

 seldom be separated. Specimens should if pos- 

 sible be sent which contain more sound than 

 diseased tissue: the boundary line between these 

 two is the most useful for work in the laboratory. 

 — Straits Agricutiiral Bulletin for November. 



ROOT DISEASE OF PARA RUBBER: 

 AND BURNING OF TEA PRUNINGS. 



When we published the Malaya Mycologist's 

 lengthy article on Root Disease of Para rubber 

 in the F. M.S., we asked if Mr. Petch would say 

 how far the same disease had spread in Ceylon 

 in the 2 : ] years since the Ceylon Government 

 Mycologist's circular on the subject appeared. 

 Mr. Petch has courteously replied and his letter 

 is reassuring, as regards spread, though eradi- 

 cation appears difficult. — He supports, too, the 

 burning of tea primings — dealt with in our 

 columns. 



Note from the Mycologist. 



Peradeniya, Nov. lath. 

 Sir, — The root disease caused by Foiues semi- 

 tostus is still confined to the areas in which it 

 first appeared. It is proving rather difficult 

 to exterminate on closely planted estates where 

 the cost of removing jak stumps is considered 

 prohibitive. It is scarcely possible to criticise 

 the F.M.S. account until more is known about 

 the fungus. 



I am glad to see that the idea of burning 

 prunings has obtained another adherent, — 

 especially a chemist, for the chief objection to 

 the practice is based on chemical considerations. 

 Mr Green's recommendation was withdrawn 

 because of the " loss of nitrogen" bogey. When 

 we know (a) how much nitrogen is removed in 



the prunings, and (b) what percentage of this 

 becomes available when buried, we shall be 

 able to decide whether its value exceeds the 

 value of the bushes killed by root disease and 

 injured by shot-hole borer. — Yours faithfully. 



T. PETCH. 



MR. KELWAY BAMBER AND THE 

 RUBBER EXHIBITION. 



Mr Kelway Bamber, Government Analyst, 

 who recently left for the Rubber Exhibition in 

 London, returned to Ceylon recently via Bombay. 



Seen by an Observer representative Mr Bam- 

 ber, explained that his reasons for returning 

 via Bombay and Tuticorin were partly that he 

 wished to meet some friends and partly with the 

 object of making some studies of the cotton 

 and grain growing fields in Southern India. 



In reply to questions Mr Bamber said that it 

 was probable that the knowledge gleaned would 

 be useful in connection with experiments con- 

 templated in Northern Ceylon. 



A Fine Rubber Exhibition. 



Mr Bamber said that he could not at present 

 discuss the Rubber Exhibition fully. Stress of 

 work was one reason and the fact that he had to 

 make a Government report on the subject was 

 another. 



It did an enormous amount of good," he 

 remarked. " Many people had not the slightest 

 idea of the methods of manufacture and the 

 various form of manufactured rubber. The 

 keenest interest was shown by great numbers of 

 people, who patronised the Exhibition." 



" Ceylon ? Well, I can only say just now that 

 Ceylon made an excellent show. I don't care 

 to make comparisons, but the Ceylon article 

 was well-represented." 



" One of the disappointments to us was that 

 there was not a Manufacturers' Conference, at 

 which, it had been hoped, we should have had 

 an opportunity of thoroughly understanding the 

 manufacturers' point of view. However, this 

 could not be arranged, and instead we simply 

 ' met ' the manufacturers as the next best 

 thing to a conference, and got their views on 

 various aspects of requirements and kindred 

 subjects." 



"Generally there was a large number of 

 enquiries as to methods of manufacture, and 

 the lectures, which were of a high class 

 standard, were well attended and thoroughly- 

 appreciated.'' 



" Which do you think were most striking in 

 their standard of excellence B ' 



'f 1 prefer not to say," Mr Bamber replied. 



"It would scarcely be proper, since I was in- 

 cluded amongst the lecturers. But Ceylon 

 people will have an opportunity of judging for 

 themselves. They will all be published and 

 made available, together with the discussion on 

 each subject." 



"With regard to the question of striking ex- 

 hibits, and comparative shows, I will only say 

 that the Rosehaugh Company's stalls were fine. 

 It was the general impression of manufacturers 

 that the Rosehaugh clear blocks were about 

 the best," 



Mr Bamber would say no more. He was about 

 to depart for Peradeniya, afteran interview 

 with H.E. the Governor. 



