December i, iS8r.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
5'5 
nutrition of the coffee is affe 
and other causes. 
In this connection also com 
is common to linrt " grub," 
soils, 
leia i. 
ful ct 
than 
rapid! 
wind, every facility lor distribution and germination (such 
places being usually wet) occurs. But it is worthy of 
remark that a less vigorous mycelium is often found 011 
such coffee, and that if a typo of the fungus were to 
be selected, it were best got from a tree unaffected by 
any other pest. 
§ 12. I have now shortly examined the natural 
peculiarities of soil, climate, &c, so far as they need 
be considered in this connection, and it is of course 
clear that numerous combinations of all degrees of these 
may occur. Tho same is tine of that part of the work 
Manuri 
masking 
dearly effectual to a large extent in 
ects of "leaf-disease," but it is in 110 
way a cure for it, in the sense of diminishing the 
ravages of the fungus. Of every basket ol proper 
manure now placed at the roots of tho coflve tree, 
a cfrtaiu proportion must be looked upon as serving 
the mycelium of Hemileia for food, after undergoing 
the necessary transformations in the plant ; neverthe- 
less, as experience shows, it is necessary to apply 
manure to enable the tree to produce and bear crop, 
and it therefore becomes the more imperative to un- 
derstand the conditions of its action. Manure is 
usually applied either early in the season — I speak 
particularly of the districts to the south-west of Nuwara 
Eliya, &c.,— to produce and support blossom, or later, 
[ to " carry the tree through cron," as it is termed. 
I That both methods have their advantages is undeni- 
able, and where possible both might be employed, 
I wire it not for the expense. Indeed, what practi- 
I oally eomes to this has occurred on a few estates, where 
! Kb early manuring has been followed up by applica- 
tion, of lime when the young crop is on the trees. 
Now, from what has been said of Hemileia, and 
| its relations to the coffee, it is evident that one 
desirable object in the. cultivation of tho tree is to 
produce mature leaves an soon as possible, and to 
Ben them on tho branches as long as possible. The 
I dillicultiis to be contended against are as follows: 
if leaves are produced in April and May, they be- 
ftme attacked by the fungus while still young, and 
iu August and September the ripening crop is too' 
ol: n left bare on the branches. On the other hand, 
aves which were in bud in December are 
ntnred and well hardened when the fungus spores 
'are blowing about, and ha vo already enjoyed a much 
lOB lease of life than the Others. 
| But, unfortunately, it is in April and May that 
the growing season is usually at its height in these 
. and it is doubtful how far leaves could be 
pM i 1 tlio tiecs at an earlier date, unless the 
weather Wire very wet as in ISfSU, when the; addi- 
tional leaf was largely a'., the expense of blossom. 
(Nevertheless, I would urgu tin .- ■ planters who have 
I the necessary climate to arrange matters so as to 
(produce their leaves as far as possible either earlier 
ibr later than at present. Tho reasons why thoso 
I liitnctt suffered from such a "bad attack of leaf- 
liteaoo" in July this year ha v.: ah iady been detailed, and 
It will bu noticed that when tho winds commenced, 
!• largo surface of young and succulent leaves were 
early to receive the spores of Hcmiliia ; thou followed 
he rain, germination of rporcs, ami linally tho f all 
f loaves as the fungus destroyed them, 
Pruning should of course be arranged with the same 
object in view— to produce matured leaves during 
those months when least wind and damp may be 
expected. That some such object is kept in view by 
many planters would appear from the various kinds 
of pruning I have witnessed. A practical question of 
this kind must be decided by each superintendent 
on each different estate. The following hints may 
help to guide some, however. 
The chief cause of the " failure of blossom" and 
the "dropping of crop" in all stages is the loss of 
the leaves, suddenly, and at critical stages : i. c, at 
periods when tho blossom or crop most requires the 
The leaves fall so suddenly, and in such large 
quantities, because the rapidly developing fungus is 
quickly spread over a large area of succulent foliage 
by the winds, at the timo of the monsoon rains. 
In so far as this large surface of young leaves can 
be produced at a period earlier or later than that dur- 
ing . winch the spores are being distributed by wind 
in such vast quantities, the trees will reap the benefit, 
since tho disease cannot spread so rapidly, and the 
leaves will enjoy better health, and consequently do 
more work for the trees. 
I fear this can only be effected by pruning and apply- 
ing the manure at times when they will act less rapidly 
than at present. It is clear that leaves are formed 
more slowly from January to March than from Apr 
to June, for instance (in the districts referred to) ; but 
the advantage gained by either having fewer leaves on 
the trees in May and Juno, or many hardened ones 
would probably be a decided one. 
. I am, of course, also aware, that great difficulties 
stand in the way of a modified system of cultivation ; 
not only difficulties with labour and estate routine, but 
also with the seasons. But in so far as the above ends 
could be attained, I believe advantage would accrue, 
and the manure wotdd at least stand less chance of 
being wasted as food for tho fungus. 
Another point, already referred to in part, is shelter. 
There can be no question that coffee under artificial 
shade is spared a large infliction of wind-blown spores, 
and although such sheltered trees often tend to form 
foliage in excess of crop unless tho season be hot and 
dry, it becomes an important question how far the 
visitations of Hemileia could be checked by belts of 
trees or other shelter. It is matter for regret that such 
immeuso, unbroken areas of coffee exist without break 
of any kind, and one can trace tho swaying backwards 
and forwards of the spore-laden winds in consequence. 
A subject of some importance in this connection is the 
planting of other trees among the coffee ; this is of 
course done to some extent in tho case of Ceara rubber 
and Cinchonas, and although tho success of the experi- 
ment is not yet established in these cases, I would call 
attention to its general importance from the above point 
of view. 
The value of a broad acreage of patana or chena 
land to the windward side of an estate is another 
illustration of tho importance of any break in the on- 
ward career of windblown spores. Many planters have 
recognised the fact that they do not get leaf disease 
from the low-country patanaa to windward, a fact worthy 
of remark in this connection. 
This being so, it should bo the aim of idl to see how 
far tho leaves can bo kept on tho trees by manure, 
artificial treatment, and cultivation, on the one hand; 
and how far the sources of infection can ho lessened by 
the destruction of fallen leaves, and tho prevention of 
sporo invasions curried by wind from without. To thoso 
acquainted with tho immense ureas of open coQ'oo under 
cultivation, and tho difficulties of working .steep and 
broken land, tho practical application of hints to this 
cud aro admittedly very difficult; nevertheless, in fueo 
of tho following facts, it must be insisted upon that one 
