104 
Ceotalabia and Geeen Man dees as affecting T. GesteoI. 
Crotalaria is undoubtedly of great advantage as a 
green manure, but it has yet to be proved if it is a means ot 
cheapening the cost of weeding. There are two objections 
to it which can however be overcome. 
Firstly the difficulty which is experienced in eradicat- 
ing* T Gestroi and Fames semitostus, wdl be enormously 
increased by the fact that all timber is hidden by growth 
rendering it necessarv to closely inspect each rubber tree 
and to search about amongst the crotalaria for timber con- 
taining T. Gestroi . This can be overcome by, first eradicat- 
ing the pest and then planting green manure. Secondly 
when the green manure is eventually killed out by shade, 
the rubber trees will experience a shock from their custom- 
ary supply of nitrogen being cut off. This can be obviated 
by inter pi anting with leguminous trees, such as Albizsia 
Moluecana . These trees together with others of the legu- 
minosae have been grown with great benefit to tea and 
coffee in Ceylon and elsewhere for at least twenty five 
years. Such growths as C rot allaria, Mimosa, etc: being 
utterly unsuited to this class of cultivation. 
In conclusion there are no grounds for the alarmists 
view of the T. Gestroi pest, though it is imperative that it 
should be taken in hand at once and dealt with vei> 
thoroughly and although the initial cost may be heavy it 
will be more than justified by the subsequent saving m ex- 
penditure, on keeping the pest in check, to say nothing o 
the saving in loss of trees. 
& Walteb Tow good. 
FIELD NOTES. 
Boot Disease. 
1 have received a number of communications about the 
“Femes” or white fungus root-disease of para rubber 
The disease appears to be more widespread than L thought 
when I wrote in the last November number A common 
mistake is cutting the trendies too Toad -this demands 
extra and unnecessary labour, and the excessive quantity 
of earth taken out covers the 'inner area round the diseased 
tree so much that the turning-over does not go deep enough. 
Where 'circumstances do not allow of the outer trenches 
being made, the adjacent row of trees should be examined 
from time to time. 
