161 
TWO COFFEE DISEASES. 
By M. C. COOKE, M.A. 
[PLATE CXXXV.] 
T HE cultivation of Coffee under no circumstances is such a 
profitable investment as to offer great inducements for 
speculation ; but, unfortunately, during the past six or seven 
years, no less than three resolute and determined enemies to the 
coffee crop have successively made their appearance, and spread 
dismay amongst the coffee planters. One of these, the Coffee 
Borer, though by no means of the least importance, it is not our 
present intention to molest. The other two, being obscure 
members of the vegetable kingdom, alone come within the 
province of the botanist to describe. 
Until within a few weeks it was not known in Europe, at 
least as far as we can learn, that more than one fungoid pest 
was making havoc amongst the coffee plantations in the East. 
Recently communications from planters in Mysore were sent to 
the Government of India, and these reports, together with 
specimens of infected leaves, have been transmitted to the India 
Office in London, undergone investigation, and resulted in a 
Report, which establishes, without doubt, the existence of a 
second fungal disease, which, in India at least, seems to be 
more destructive than the one previously known. 
The “coffee-leaf disease, 5 ’ as it is usually termed, in distinction 
from the “ coffee rot,” is caused by a parasitic fungus. Of this 
there is not the slightest reason to doubt, although some have 
held to the opinion that it is the result, and not the cause, of 
the disease. There being still a few who hold similar views 
respecting the potato disease, it is by no means surprising that 
the same theory should be applied to the coffee plant. Its 
first appearance in the island of Ceylon was in the year 1869 ; 
and recent Reports from the planters in Mysore date its first 
appearance in Continental India in the same or following year. 
When suffering from this disease the leaves are marked by 
: brownish somewhat rounded spots (PI. CXXXV. fig. d), the under 
VOL. XV. — HO. LIX. M 
