TWO COFFEE DISEASES. 
163 
commence to germinate in a few days. “ This process consists in 
the spore becoming' somewhat enlarged, and its contents con- 
verted into one or more globose translucent masses. From each 
of these a filament is developed, which grows very rapidly, and 
becomes more or less branched. At the termination of some of 
these branches secondary spores are produced in the form of 
radiating necklace-shaped strings of little spherical bodies of 
uniform size, and this form closely resembles the fructification 
of an Aspergillus .” Another observer in Ceylon (Mr. Abbay) 
has seen another form of secondary spores arranged in single 
rows of spherical bodies, a good deal larger than those radiately 
arranged, but still exceedingly minute. These inconceivably 
numerous secondary spores may be easily carried by the 
wind into surrounding districts, and thus convey infection 
to distant plantations. In what precise manner infection 
is accomplished is still unknown. The minute secondary spores 
may be absorbed by the rootlets, or they may enter by the 
stomata, or they may even germinate on the surface and in- 
sinuate their growing points through the natural orifices of the 
leaves. Neither is it yet known whether the successive attacks 
to which a plant is subject are all the result of one inoculation, 
or whether a fresh infection precedes each outburst of the 
disease. 
In some features there is a similarity between this fungus and 
the red rust of cereals. Both of them burst through the cuticle 
and appear on the surface as an orange-coloured dust ; in both 
the spores are at first produced on pedicels : but beyond this 
there is great divergence, especially in the mode of production 
of the secondary spores, of which there is no similar instance 
amongst the TJredines. The germination of a large number of 
species amongst the TJredines has been observed, but hitherto 
in no instance have minute secondary spores, growing in chains, 
been recognised. There is doubtless another feature in which 
the coffee rust resembles the wheat rust : it is not likely to yield 
to the application of sulphur, as the white moulds usually do. 
Sometime since the application of a diluted Condy’s fluid was 
recommended as an efficient check for the Hollyhock disease, 
and it is not improbable that what would succeed with the Puc- 
cinia would be beneficial in the case of the Hemileia ; but 
hitherto it has been affirmed that nothing has proved effectual 
in checking the ravages of the coffee disease in Ceylon. Many 
of the coffee planters in Mysore declare that this disease in their 
plantations has not sensibly affected the quality or quantity of 
the crops ; in others the contrary is affirmed. 
The second, and more recently known, coffee disease has not 
at present been recognised in Ceylon, although Indian planters 
declare that it certainly has been present on coffee estates in 
