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In young plants it is nearly always fatal. The tree generally dies in 
from 10-15 days after the attack is noticed. 
At present (in Java,) it is not a serious disease. In an estate at 
Bantam out of 70,000 trees about 30 were killed by this fungus, but 
though these were in the same part of the plantation the trees were 
distant from each other and surrounded by healthy trees. So it appears 
that if contagious, the risk of contagion is very small. 
Culture experiments failed to produce any reproductive organs, so 
that the plant could not be identified, but it is probably one of the 
Polyporeae. 
Four root parasites of Hevea are recorded, Fomes semitostus 
and Irpcx flava in the Straits and Poria vincta and Hymenochctc sp. in 
Ceylon. 
(The white root fungus described by Dr. Bernard suggests a 
fungus which has several times been sent to the editor occurring spor- 
adically in estates, not spreading from tree to tree as Fomes does. 
This root fungus we have not yet seen fruit of. It may be Irpex). 
The occurrence of the parasite Bernard suggests is due to exces- 
sive dampness in the soil, and in the Bantam estate it was found 
that the trees had been badly planted, the tap-root not having been 
straightened in planting. The occurrence of such fungi as Corticium, 
may have an enfeebling result in the roots. He affirms too that the 
remains of lalang decaying in the soil (presumably the rhizomes) 
play a part in the extension of this malady. (This is an important 
statement and one that it is desirable to have fuller details about. 
Personally I have seen nothing in the Peninsula to suggest it). 
The remedies suggested for this disease are better drainage, and 
disinfection of the soil with lime, destruction of the infected plants, 
and planting the soil with soil-improvement plants are urged. Watering 
sick plants with lime water constantly and manuring have produced 
good results. 
The third pest is a species of Fusicladimn. This produces a black 
canker of the stalk. It is not at present a serious disease. In two 
different plantations it attacked a dozen plants close together, a little 
later in one of these plantations, it attacked a new lot of about forty 
trees, of which thirty perished. This lot was about half an mile away 
from the preceding one. The disease appeared on the pruned branches, 
and the top of the tree after topping. The leaves withered, became 
yellow and died and then fell off. The flow of latex diminished 
rapidly, then ceased and in a few days the plant was dead. Sometimes 
only the upper part died, and at the tree budded again below the diseased 
part. The bark cracked and peeled off, wdiere affected, and the 
fungus formed a blackish fur on the surface of the wood. The 
Mycelium threads are brown and branched and after destroying the 
bark and base penetrated the young wood which darkened in colour. 
Is infectious spreading from plant to plant. 
It is advisable to seal up the cut made in tapping, and to cork up 
the hole in the top, to cut off the part affected below the diseased 
part, burn the pieces and spray with Bordeaux mixture. Spraying 
with a substance known as Carbalinum which is said to have given 
good results in Europe and Java is recommended. 
