406 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Duc., 1902. 
Pryzareies.—Constitutional Disease, caused by uncongenial soil condition, 
Wellington Point. 
Rosetia (Hibiscus digitatws).—Root Disease (?) caused by Heterodera radicola, 
Reckhampton. 
Loucrrnr.—Injuries due to drought conditions, Gatton District. 
Wueat.—Failure to set and develop grain (cause—in the absence of suflicient 
illustrative material—not definitely ascertained), Darling Downs; death of young 
plants followed by development thereupon of a myxmycete organism, Warwick 
District. 
Porato.—Leaf Disease, probably due to attacks of Macrosporium Tomato, 
Cook, Cairns District; bacterial disease, Blackall Ranges. 
Tomato.—Proliferation of floral organs, Morven; Root Disease caused by 
Heterodera radicola, Wellington Point; Leaf Disease, caused by Septoria lycopersici, 
Speg, Brisbane and Wellington Point; Leaf Disease caused by Phytopus Mite, 
Brisbane; Fruit Rot, accompanied by Fusisporium solani, Mart., Brisbane. 
CappaGE.—Damping Off (a), and Leaf Blotch (4), caused by Peronospora 
parasitica, de By., Zilimere (a), Maryborough (a), and Brisbane (6). 
Pricxty Pxrar.—Apparent Disease involving phyllodia, Mungindi and Bul- 
amon. 
Frrns.—Polypodium, Leaf-blotching, a constitutional disease, Brisbane. 
SrrvicrasiE Diszases.—(a) Disease affecting Scale Insects, caused by stage 
of Microcera, of Spherostilbe, Nambour. () Disease affecting cane-grubs (°), 
‘caused by Cordyceps sp., Cairns District. 
Notz.—The protracted drought that has continued throughout the year has had a directly 
seriously prejudicial effect upon cultivated plants. At the same time, however, it has limited 
the attacks of parasitic organisms. 
FIELD WORK. 
In tHe Nortn.—At the commencement of 1901-2, I was carrying on investiga- 
tions in the Northern part of the State, being then in the Lower Burdekin District, 
(a) thence I proceeded to Cairns, (4) and to the Mossman, (c) and Daintree Rivers, 
(d) returning to Brisbane at the end of August. 
(a) In the first mentioned district the nature of the so-called ‘maize blight,” that 
was causing very great loss, was elucidated, and made there the theme of a public 
lecture, delivered at Ayr, under the auspices of the Lower Burdekin Farmers’ Asso- 
ciation. Some inquiries were, too, instituted regarding a sugar-cane affection that 
had been named “ Burdekin Kot.” Owing. however, to the prevalent dryness, and 
the consequent non-manifestation of the trouble, this investigation had to be post- 
poned, as had previously happened in the Proserpine Districts. 
(4) At Cairns the Banana and its diseases first claimed attention, and the following 
maladies in connection with it formed objects of research :-— 
(1) A scabby condition of certain faces of the fruitlets, locally known by the 
Chinese as “colour,” and caused by punctures inflicted by a minute 
thysanopterous insect in feeding. 
(2) Root Disease caused by the combined attacks of two rematodes (Heterodera 
radicola) that destroyed the radicles, and a second kind (? Zylenchus sp.) 
that oceasioned decay in the primary divisions. 
(3) Internal browning and gelatinisation of the fruit, the apparent outcome of 
root diseases. 
(4) Leaf Disease, accompanied by the presence of a specific fungus. 
These banana affections had been, and were, the cause of immense and far- 
reaching loss, and the annihilation of banana growing in some parts of the district. 
The Coffee Plantations at Babinda Creek, and at Kuranda and in its vicinity, 
were also inspected, but the sudden occurrence of a sharp frost in the latter locality, 
and consequent leaf discolouration in many instances, had the eftect of rendering the 
inquiry impossible of completion, notwithstanding that I was ably assisted by Mr. 
Howard Newport, whose wide experience and faculties of close observation were 
freely placed at my disposal. 
A week also was devoted to inquiring into matters relating to the Grub Pest of 
Sugar-cane, as manifested in the Mulgrave and Aloomba districts, but rainy weather 
and the wide area that had to be overlooked in pursuing the inquiry had the effect of 
rendering the time available for it far too limited to admit of very material results being 
