June 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 825 
does much damage iu recently pruned fiekls. 
Further, this disease, although ic is most fcroubfe- 
soine in the monsoon season, is more or less pre- 
valeuC throughout the year. 
The effeot of this disease upon the leaves is 
very similar, apparently, to that of grey blight, 
which at first slance it closely resem'jles ; but 
the fari[;as much more common, and, .so far 
as niy ob>ervatiou3 go, is able to reproduce itself 
with far greater rapidity. It is said to be 
genetically distinct from grey blight, _ hut little 
is as yet "knov/n of its complete life history. 
There is another growth which is fast becom- 
ing noticeable upon tea in the Central Provice 
— more especially in the vicinity of jangle— and 
which I will refer to as the 
"ORANGE mSC BLIGHT." 
Though it is not a fungus, but belongs to the 
family of Algce, its nature is undoubteUly para- 
sitic. ' I think (though for reasons which need 
not be stated at present, I am not qnite sure) 
that it is identical with the species observed by 
Dr. Cuimiughaio in the tea districts^ of Assam, 
and named by him, Mi/coidea parasitica. I have 
so far noticed it upon tea in Dikoya, Dimbula 
and Ambagamuwa, and also upon several species 
of plants in the jungles of those districts, hence it is 
probably widely distributed. According to Dr. Cun- 
ningham the growth in Assam appears to be harm- 
less so long as it is confined to the leaves only, but 
when it attacks branches and stems ic becomes 
a serious disease, and usually kills the parts 
affected. So far as I have seen in Ceylon, only 
the older and lower leaves of tea have been at- 
tacked and up to the present time the stems have re- 
mained uatouclied. The appearance of this blight 
upon tea has, \ think, hitherto escaped tlie notice 
of planters, owing to ins strong resemblance to 
blotches of "betel juice" upon the leaves These 
markings are found, upon closer examination, to 
consist of groups of minute flittened orange 
coloured discs, closely adhering to the surface 
of the leaves. 1 have counted as many as three 
hundred discs upon a single leaf. The life his- 
tory of this parasite has not been observed in 
Ueyion, but it is probably very similar to that 
of ' its Indian representative ; concerning which 
latter Dr. Watt has said that " its presence is 
in any case and under any circumstances to be 
reg.ardei with suspicion." 
There are several other 
FUNGOID DISEASES 
affecting tea which is it not possible to refer 
to today. Those here mentioned are probably 
the most destructive in Ceylon up to the present 
time. It has been suggested that tea diseases 
kave been im|)orted into the Ireland with seed 
from the Indian ilistricts ; but I am inclined to 
think that the view is erroneous, and that it is 
far more likely that they have emanated from 
our pvi'n jungles. 
Jfungi, it must be remembered, are the 
SCAVENGEES OF THE FOEEST. 
It is their office to remove dead and decom- 
posing organic matter, and assist in reducing it 
to its simple elements, in order that it may be 
re-converted into mould, — and so again enter into 
the life of plants and trees. 
Now, recent science has brought to light the in- 
teresting fact that certain kinds of fungi which 
are by nature saprophytic (i.e. dependent tor their 
nutrition upon dead matter only) may, wheie 
weakened powers of resistance form an induce- 
ment, become 
PARASITIC, 
and invade the tissues of living plants. This dis- 
covery (which is du-e to the researches of the Jap- 
anese botanist Myoshi) suggests a possible ex- 
planation for the apparently sudden appearance of 
fungoid parasites in localities where they have pre- 
viously been unnoticfid. Thus, it is conceivable 
that all the fungous diseases to which coffee and 
tea have been subjected in Ceylon are to be found 
in a more or less undeveloped condition in our 
jungles. 
However this may be, experience has taught 
us that the long-continueil cultivation of any 
one product in a given locality is very apt, sooner 
or later, to 
ENGENDER CONDITIONS OF DISEASE. 
On this account it behoves us to be constantly on 
the look-out, and to lose no time in learning to 
identify the different forms of fungi which are 
likely to prove harmful ; so that we niay know 
how to act for ourselves in an emergency. In this 
way much of the loss and trouble occasioned by 
outbreaks of disease may be circumvented. 
The following specimens were exhibited in illus- 
tra^ion of this paper : — 
1. Typical examples of Grey, Brown and ' Or- 
ange Disc' Blights. 
2. Under the microscope : a portion of a di- 
seased tea-leaf, rendered transparent by the action 
of glycerine, in order to slio\v the effects of the 
fungus upon its internal tissues. 
SUGAR IN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
The average yield of sugar to the acre of cane 
is greater On the Hawaiian Islands than in any 
other cane-grovving country in the world, and its 
position in this respect demands our attention. 
The average yield of Maui, lor instance, is about 
tons of sugar to the acre ; Hawaii's average 
is lowered by the small producing qualities of 
her leeward or diy side, but would not go lower 
than 4 tons ; Kauai, from 4 to 5 tons ; and Oahu, 
6 to 7 tons. There are, of course, pieces of 
ground, even entire plantations, on each of these 
islands, where the yield would greatly exceed the 
average of the island ; one plantation of Oahu, for 
instance, yields 10 tons of sugar to the acre (it 
takes 7 to 8 tons of cane to produce a ton of sugar), 
and special yields of even IG tons per acre have 
been obtained from given sections of the same Oahu 
plantation. The quality of these figures is the 
better appreciated by comparison with the yield of 
Louisiana. The average yield of Louisiana — accord- 
ing to the figures of Professor W C Stubbs, director 
of the State Experiment Station, varies from 1 ton 
to 2'h tons of sugar per acre, the average being, 
perhaps, not over i J tons. — America7i Gardening. 
ESTATE SALE IN THE WYNAAD. 
The "Woodlands Estate," a property compris- 
ing' over 800 acres of land, and containing some 
flue pepper and coffee, which is situated in 
close proximity to the Choondale-Sultan's Bat- 
tery High Road, 46 miles from Calicut, has just 
changed bauds, at an excellent price to the 
Tender, the purchaser being a well-knowu Tclh 
cherry merchant. Under capable management, 
"Woodlands" could probably be developed into 
a fine tea garden. An experimental tea clearing, 
planted by the late Captain Alfred Griffin, of 
Ootacamund, about 14 years back, grew some 
very promising tea ; moreover, this holding is 
remarkably well situated for local labour and 
market supplies, and enjoys a well distributed 
\ntd,M.--Madras Mail, May 1st. 
