134 The Philippine Journal of Science ms 
It appears that trees are most commonly infected when they 
first come into bearing. The young nuts on a bearing tree 
attacked remain small and fall off prematurely. 
Internal symptoms are very characteristic. The fungus ap- 
parently gains entrance into the soft tissue, usually called the 
“cabbage,” through the youngest leaves. In the early stages a 
longitudinal section of the bud shows that the disease may start 
in young leaves, at a point where they begin to unfold (Plate 
II, fig. 1). At this point a spotting of the leaf is first noticed; 
then the organism works downward, causing a soft rot and 
browning of the group of unfolded leaves. The upper exposed 
portions of these die and turn brown, due to the rotting beneath. 
The rot advances downward to the growing point and then 
spreads into the soft tissue below. From here it invades the 
woody parts, usually not penetrating farther than from 5 to 
10 centimeters. In the early stages no discoloration is produced 
in the growing point and “cabbage,” but a dark red to brov/nish 
line always marks the limits of the advance in the woody parts 
(Plate II, fig. 4). The organism does not penetrate readily into 
the old leaf sheaths surrounding the young, tender, developing 
portions (Plate III, figs. 1, 2, and 3). The rot is commonly 
checked when it reaches the firmer tissues of the trunk though, 
in advanced cases, it may penetrate about 20 centimeters (Plate 
III, figs. 1 and 2). The affected portion in the trunk may be- 
come greatly softened ; this is shoAvn by the fact that the finger 
can be pushed into the diseased part. There is present a putrid, 
somewhat sour odor. The most advanced stages are charac- 
terized by the change of the white “cabbage” into an ill-smelling, 
semiliquid mass. A portion of the trunk below becomes a 
softened group of fibers. 
Spread and loss . — The disease spreads very rapidly from tree 
to tree, but the manner in which this is accomplished has not 
been thoroughly investigated. Wind and insects are probably 
the most important agencies. In one barrio under observation, 
fifty-eight new infections appeared within one year after an 
inspection in which all attacked trees found had been cut down 
and burned. The disease may have started from trees unob- 
served during the first examination. The trees were located in 
the upper extremities of the coconut region on the slopes of 
Mount Banahao, where the atmosphere is very moist and where 
thick planting is practiced. Both conditions are favorable for 
the development and spread of the organism. 
Up to September 30, 1918, according to reports of the Bureau 
of Agriculture furnished the writer by Mr. Jose Sanvictores, 
