39 : 
CORTJCtUM JAVANICUW 4» BQRNEO- 
A correspondent sends some specimens and a letter on an attach 
of Corticium javanicum, the pink bark fungus, on the rubber trees in 
an estate in Sarawak. 
He writes : “ In the first instance drops of latex may be observed 
exuding from the tree just as if a prick had been made with a needle. 
By degrees these punctures increase in number and the latex buckles 
down the stem freely. 
The above phase ih the 1 initial stages of this disease is a Prelude 
to the formation of black patches on the bark, which gradually 
increase in area. On removing the dead bark with a pen-knife pads 
of evil smelling rubber are found within and the rot has penetrated 
right through to the wood. 
Subsequently to this “ buboks ” ( Xylotrupes probably) make 
their entrance and together with a pinkish fungus seem to complete 
the destruction. I cannot accurately time this fungus, but have known 
the tops of five year old trees to be completely reduced by it in a 
week, so the destruction element appears to be fairly rapid. We 
suffered heavily last year during the monsoon, but got rid of the 
disease by tapping, burning and tarring and at the same period as a 
preventive measure all scars on trees throughout. It seemed as, if old 
wounds and rough place on the bark, afforded an easy entrance to the 
.fungus we were trying to stamp out. 
One peculiar feature I must remark is that our trees have been 
attacked any where either from the collar Upwards or from the topmost 
branches downwards. 
In both cases, if attended to promptly, the tree does not generally 
die, but its growth is seriously retarded especially when pollarding 
old trees has to be resorted to. 
I have often noticed trees recover by themselves without atten- 
tion viz (a) a I % year old tree died off from the top about 5 feet and 
then shot up again below the affected part, ‘3 a 5 year old tree 
(measuring 30 inches at 3 feet above ground) suffered from the 
fungus round the collar and upwards for about four inches. There 
were three distinct dead patches round the trunk, but the disease was 
suddenly checked and new bark began to make its appe|rance. The 
above instances are only two out of many. The fungus apparently 
does not confine itself to Para rubber trees as I have just noticed two 
young trees in my garden known locally as Saga (Adenanthera pavoninci 
L) attacked by identically the same thing.” 
; The specimens sent consisted of boughs and portions of the 
trunks; of young trees bearing large patches of the pink Corticium 
. javanicum. As commonly happens the patches of the fruiting fungus 
: . were only on one side of the stem and there seemed to be a strong 
tendency for it to appear on the under side of the smaller branches. 
