615 
Disease of the West Indies . 
‘ Sereh ’ of Java has been generally noticed (Kevv Bulletin, 1895, 
p. 83). Went ( 1 . c., p. 588) says it ‘ looks very much like the 
“ Sereh ” in Java.’ 
It is again to be noticed that ‘ it was only the Bourbon 
cane affected. The Caledonian Queen and Transparent are 
healthy and vigorous/ (Kew Bulletin, 1893, p. 346.) 
Diseased stools of sugar-cane were sent to Kew from Barbados 
for examination. Massee reported that this ‘ demonstrates 
conclusively that the disease is due to a parasite fungus 
known as Colletotrichum fate a turn, Went ’ (Kew Bulletin, 1893, 
p. 347). Went thinks this‘ extremely improbable’ (l.c., p. 588). 
He further says that Massee ‘gives no evidence for his 
opinion.’ It appears to me, on the contrary, that the descrip¬ 
tion of the Barbados Fungus given by Massee exactly tallies 
with Went’s own description. I do not see what other evidence 
could be required. And Went (l.c., p. 588) admits having 
‘ received the Fungus from the West Indies.’ I may now 
quote some remarks of my own in the Kew Bulletin (1894, 
p. 176) : 4 It is evident that canes infected with “ rind fungus ” 
are used for propagation. It further appears that when this 
was the case the resulting plants are attacked by root disease. 
This fact points to the conclusion that the root disease and 
the rind disease are really due to one and the same organism, 
and that the Colletotrichicm is only another phase of the 
polymorphic Trichosphaeria . This was indeed suggested by 
Mr. C. A. Barber, the Superintendent of Agriculture in the 
Leeward Islands, in a private letter, December 1, 1893, as the 
result of his observations. But the evidence was not deemed 
at the time conclusive. The possible identity of the two 
diseases is still a matter under investigation at Kew.’ The 
Barbados Commission in their Report state: ‘ It has been 
finally decided at Kew that Colletotrichum falcatum , Went, 
is simply one phase in the life-history of Trichosphaeria 
Saccharil (Kew Bulletin, 1895, p. 83.) This statement 
was based on information furnished to the Barbados Govern¬ 
ment but not published. A healthy seedling sugar-cane was 
inoculated with the spores of Colletotrichum falcatum , and at 
