56 Sharpies and Lambourne. — Observations in 
palms has yet been recorded. The matter is one of some urgency as 
Pliytophthora faberi (Maubl.) has long been known to cause a serious bark 
disease of Hevea brasiliensis . The absence or presence of different host 
plants is of primary importance when considering control measures for 
serious plant diseases. For this reason, following on a visit from Professor 
0. A. Reinking, some attention has been given to Coco-nut Bud-rot during 
the last twelve months, though this disease never has caused, in the writer’s 
experience, any serious loss in Malaya. 
Symptoms. 
The experimental results to be described are valid only in so far as an 
accurate knowledge of the symptoms, both early and advanced, can be 
obtained. For this purpose, it is necessary to go into considerable detail, 
drawing upon the experience of investigators in all countries where Bud-rot 
is a disease of importance. Johnstone ( 4 ) gives a general diagnosis of the 
disease as follows : ‘ The common name of the disease, Bud-rot, well 
describes its nature, for in its acute or advanced stages the bud of the tree, 
1. e. the growing-point in the centre of the crown, is affected by a vile- 
smelling soft-rot which destroys all the younger tissues. At this stage 
most of the nuts have fallen, the lower leaves are turning yellow, and the 
middle folded and undeveloped leaves are dead, and hang down between 
the still green surrounding leaves. Signs of the disease in its incipiency 
are (i) the falling of the immature nuts ; (2) a staining of the opening 
flower spikes, partly or wholly, of a rich chocolate brown ; and (3) the 
drying and bending over of the middle undeveloped leaves.’ The same 
author also gives the symptoms (ibid.) as observed in different countries. 
On page 12 : ‘In many cases the descriptions (from the West Indies) are so 
meagre that it is impossible to identify them with the Bud-rot ; neverthe- 
less the one characteristic, the rot in the heart-tissues, is believed to apply 
only to this disease. In addition, the dying of the central undeveloped 
leaves is taken as a sign of the Bud-rot.’ On page 19, under Philippine 
Islands, he quotes : ‘ As soon as the youngest leaf is noticeably discoloured 
it can easily be drawn out.’ On page 10, under Ceylon, Petch is quoted: 
‘ The first indication of the disease in the case of young plants is the 
withering of the youngest unfolding leaf. This turns brown and can be 
pulled out of its sheath ; it is then found to end in a soft brown mass.’ 
On page 20, under German East Africa: ‘ Soon after the first appearance 
of the disease the heart leaves can be drawn out, as the bottom is rotted 
off.’ Shaw and Sundaraman (8) say : ‘ The first symptom of which 
a diseased tree may be recognized is that the central leaf turns brown, 
collapses, and dies.’ They also quote (ibid.) that Petch in Ceylon lays 
stress on the early withering of the central leaf in young trees, a point 
