June 1, 1903.1 THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. 
847 
ifc is possible that this may commence its des- 
ti'uctive actiou by directly attacking a living coffee 
root no such case has yet been proved, so far as I 
know and certainly the usual tiling is that the 
fungus, requires to start on a dead root of some 
shade tree until having acquired a certain vigour 
by living on the dead roots, it can then pass on 
to attack living ones. What you refer to as 
"mealy bug" may b3 instances of direct attack 
without any in'ervention of a rotting stump, 
since from your description it closely resembles the 
condition produced by Rosellinia radiciperda'nx 
some cases which I liave seen. 
The evil appears to be on the increase, and in 
stances have bean reported from Assam of the 
stumps left on clearing the jungle in opening out 
new gardens, taking the rot and killing off much 
of the tea two or three years after the clearing 
was effected. 
In dealing with the matter the first thing to be 
borne in mind is that certain trees only serve to 
originate the rot. In the tea districts these trees 
are gradually getting known, and there is a tend* 
ency to avoid thero as much as possible. Two 
which have been found very commonly to start 
the disease are the silver oak (Grevillea) and the 
Bor (Ficus elastica). It would be of great value 
to obtain a list of such trees for the coffee dis- 
tricts by circularising the planters whose estates 
are known to be affected. Where the tree is not 
known specimens of leaves, flowers and fruit, 
pressed between blotting paper and sent to me, 
will serve for identification. Unfortunately the 
Grevillea is of value on account of its copious 
leaf production. Still if, as I suspect, it be 
found as dangerous in South India as in Assam, 
it will have to be abandoned, and I cannot but 
think taking into account the great richness of 
the forest flora of India, its replacement by an 
equally good shade tree will not be a difficult 
matter. The Dalbergias should be avoided, for 
even if they do not affect coffee, the Sheisham 
{Dalherqia latifolia, Kauarese Biti, Tamil Iti) 
itself suffers from a root fungus very similar to 
{Rosellinia radiciperda) which kills many trees 
in Behar, and which I saw destroying trees in a 
Coorg coffee estate. 
I do not think you could fail to have opinions 
of great value from planters whose estates are 
badly diseased for some years as to what trees 
may be recommended as insusceptible to rot, and 
I am clear that the question of what shade to 
employ is one of very great importance not alone 
as regards stump rot, which I repeat is increasing, 
but also from the infiuence certain trees exert on 
the coffee growing under them. 
When the disease has appeared the treatment is 
to run a trench two feet deep and one foot wide 
around the infected area remembering, since the 
rot commences some time before the bush shows 
signs of it above ground, to include one row of 
healthy bushes within the trench. If this measure 
be taken immediately the disease is detected, a loss 
of not more than half-a-dozen bushes may be 
secured, Where large lateral roots from the stump 
are encountered on running the trench it should be 
carried further out, but small roots of an inch or 
two in diameter are not likely to start the disease 
if the trench be early made, and when divided by 
the trench may safely be left to rot beyond its 
limits. 
The longer the disease be left to progress the 
greater the danger of tlte fungus getting established 
from the centre along the smaller roots of the 
stump and the greater the need to carry the trench 
far enough out to include these roots. The trench 
should be drained, as it appears probable that the 
fungus can pass across it if allowed to remain full 
of water. 
Once the trench is made and the bushes within 
it have ceased to bear they should be pulled out 
and the ground well turned over to a depth of ad 
least two feet, several times, and lime mixed with 
it. If lime cannot be used (it appears to be harm- 
ful to tea and may be so to coffee) a little sulphur 
or a solution of iron sulphate which is cheap and 
may be used in 5 per cent solution (1 oz. to the 
pint^ can be relied on to destroy the fungus. 
Then after a year the diseased area may safely be 
replanted,— Madras Mail, April 29. 
PKOFIT IN PLANTAINS. 
The wealth which exists in plantains grown for 
their fruit and fibre has on several oocasions been 
referred to in our columns, and Mr V T Venoatraman 
Iyer, of Valavanur, S Arcot, who has made experi- 
ments in this direction, and even gone to the length 
of having the fibre which he has manufactured valued 
in Loudon, has ".Iso favoured us with the results of 
his interesting experience. Today we publish an ac- 
count of the experiments made under the superin- 
tendence of Mr K Nsi.rayana Iyer in the Government 
School of Arts at Trevandrum. Mr Narayana Iyer 
hopes that from his facts and the fignres it will be 
evident to all that great advantages are likely to 
accrue to the public, both commercially and artis- 
tically, in continuing further trials with plantain 
fibre for textile purposes, and in designing and making 
all possible improvements with the help of qualified 
maistriea in the looms and other weaving processes, 
as well as in utilising all other materials obtainable ia 
the country; at comparatively cheaper rates, in intro- 
ducing other weaving industries." 
These Travancore experiments were made at first 
'' on a very small scale, and a few square inches were 
woven and different fast colours were tried Guccess- 
fully." The extraction of the fibre was found to be 
a simple process, and inasmuch as the edible and 
valuable portion of the tree was not affected, the fibre 
being extracted from the sheaths which are at present 
wasted, it would appear likely to be a lucrative one. 
Afterwards, more elaborate experiments were made, 
and Mr Narayan Iyer sums up the results of these 
under 10 headings, and gives details of the advantages 
of a new pattern hand loom which has been devised at 
the School. Of 29 varieties of plantains tried, 12 were 
found to yield fibre silky in colour and gloss and 
sufficiently strong for weft thread suitable for wesving 
cloths of fine texture. The remaining varieties 
were fit only for coarse weaving and cordage. 
The fibre was also found to possess peculiar advanta- 
ges over other known varieties of fibres used for 
textile purposes, possessing " almost an exact resem- 
blance to silk in the polish of the thread which it is 
found to retain even after it is dyed with any colour 
or boiled or washed." It needs, moreover, no spinning 
operations, but is ready for the loom soon after its 
extraction. Mr Narayana Iyer also found the fibre 
to be very light — a great advaut'ige in ihis country — 
being one third the weight of cotton thread, and it is 
especially recommended for native turbans. Thick 
plantain fibre could, he suggests, be used for thick 
garments, curtains, carpets, etc., and a small carpet 
made ot it was sent to the Delhi Art Exhibition. As 
regards cost, plantain fibre compares favourably with 
cotton, 1 oz. of plantain fibre, costing IJ anna, going as 
far as ,3 0Z5, of cotton which cost 4J as. With the 
assistance of a new and improved machine, which wa 
are told is now being made and by means of which a 
longer fibre will be obtained, there should be a bright 
futuro for plantain fibre,— i/. Mail, May 15. 
