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white or greyish in colour. When the effect of the- disease is serious 
the whole leaf becomes yellow and all leaves are affected, and 
eventually the yellow colour changes to a greyish white and the 
leaves wither. Sometimes only the latest formed leaf, not yet fully 
opened, may be seen green and unaffected but this eventually dies 
and with it comes the decay of the growing point or heart and the 
death of the palm. 
Dead palms should be uprooted and all parts carefully burnt in 
situ. Diseased leaves of affected palms may be cut away and burnt 
and plants treated in this way should be carefully watched for 
further signs of the disease. 
Fungicides may be applied by spraying but this is only advised 
wheu nurseries are affected, more as a preventive than a remedial 
measure. Bordeaux mixture should be used as the fungicide. 
Helminthosporium ftp. — This fungus has been found intermingled 
with Pestalozzia and may contribute towards the general effect of 
the disease. It is possible, also, tliat. this fungus itself is the cause 
of a disease similar to that of Pestalozzia palmarum though I have 
no records that such is the case. 
Botryodiplodia sp. — In December of 1914 a disease was first 
found in this country which I now attribute to a fungus, a species of 
the genus Botryodiplodia. At one time I thought that this disease 
was an exaggerated form of attack of Pestalozzia palmar um and in 
a circular letter sent to members of the Association, dated 5th 
February, 1*915, I described the effect of this attack, but in a note at 
the end of the letter added that Diplodia among other fungi was 
found with the Pestalozzia and that I could not then say which 
fungus was responsible for the full effect of the disease. This letter 
together with photographs is published in “A Practical Guide to 
Coconut Planting” by R. W. Munro and L. 0. Brown. The first 
noticeable sign of the disease is that distal end of a leaf withers and 
droops, almost breaking away from the rest of the leaf at a point of 
weakness, varying from one foot to three feet from the top, but 
remaining attached, hangs directly downwards as a pendulous section. 
These withered ends of the leaves on affected trees are most 
characteristic in appearance. It is possible at first sight to mistake 
these signs for attacks of brown beetles or leaf beetles but a cursory 
examination will prove the presence or absence of the obvious signs 
of the boring of the beetle. The dropping end of the leaf is at first 
yellow but finally has the usual brown appearance of a withered 
coconut leaf. The fungus spreads into the lower part of the leaf 
travelling down the leaf-stalk and eventually the whole leaf becomes 
yellow. 
As the fungus affects the tissue of the leaf-stalk a brown mark 
is produced and is especially noticeable on the “ lower ” or “ outer ” 
