8 
one case the crown of an oil palm had been nearly blown down 
and the growing shoots formed, for about 6 months, an angle 
with the vertical. The crown of the tree was a little bent 
down. The angle which was about 45” after the accident 
decreased regularly after the development of each new leaflet. 
When the heart leaf reached the vertical it was found thit the 
whorl of leaves which appeared at the time of the accident 
reproduced exactly the appearance of the little leaf disease. It 
may be that a special organism, to which the little leaf disease 
is due, was introduced into the soft tissues of the heart leaves 
at the time of the accident. 
This long series of diseases goes to show to what extent 
the necessity of manuring is becoming imperative. Trees ma¬ 
nured and freed from parasitic organisms are alone in a posi¬ 
tion to resist most of these diseases. Only a few planters are 
grasping the difficult situation and have started manuring with 
whale manure and coconut husks in some cases and with cattle 
manure, guano and ashes in others. Green manuring, employed 
to prevent the formation of a hard pan in calcareous soils, 
has also been recommended to them. 
It is unfortunate that planters do not destroy by burning 
those parts of their plantations which were badly set out and 
are now diseased beyond control and renew such plantations. 
This would save them much trouble in the future. 
