PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O.882
2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
Sir,
Dr. Hooker to Colonial Office.
Royal Gardens, Kew, August 6, 1874. REFERRING to your letter of July 30th,* transmitting despatch from the Officiating Governor of Ceylon, and Report of Dr. Thwaites on the coffee disease of Ceylon, I have to observe:-
That the Hemileia belongs to a class of most minute parasitic plants, which includes the oidium of the vine, and peronospora of the potato. The real nature of these plants, and their mode of propagation, have only recently been discovered, through the labours of Mr. Thwaites and other naturalists; whilst atill more recently, observations appear to establish the fact that similar plants are also present in the tissues of sheep affected with small-pox, and may probably be found to be sources of some familiar diseases of man and the lower animals.
Hitherto no means have been discovered of extirpating these plants, whose seeds, of inconceivable minuteness, float in inconceivable numbers in the air, and whose growing parts are of such tenuity that they can penetrate the most delicate living tissues of plants, which they kill by feeding on their substance. The spread of some of the kinds has, how- ever, been effectually checked by the use of flour of sulphur, which it would not be difficult to apply to the coffee plant in Ceylon.
With regard to Mr. Birch's suggestion, that information should be sought from Her Majesty's Consuls in other coffee-producing countries, it appears a very reasonable one, and I would further suggest that our other coffee-producing Colonies should also be applied
to for information.
It does not follow that the information thus obtained will throw much direct light on the Ceylon disease; but it might be the means of increasing our knowledge of this and other diseases, and of the insect attacks to which the coffee is liable in Natal, the Nilgiri mountains, and other localities.
Information regarding the methods of cultivation resorted to in the various countries applied to must at the same time be sought-there being great reason for supposing that high cultivation renders plants peculiarly liable to attacks of such parasites.
Should it be deemed advisable to make such inquiries, it will be necessary to frame the queries with such comprehensiveness and precision, that, whilst they cannot be answered equivocally or ignorantly, they shall, as far as possible, draw out all the informa- tion the respondent possesses. In fact, they must be as carefully drawn up as in the case of medical or sanitary inquiries, and must be directed to agricultural, physiological and pathological points; as to all which, in respect of coffee, nothing is satisfactorily known.
As all such inquiries should have reference to Ceylon coffee cultivation in the first place, I would suggest that Dr. Thwaites be requested to draw up, and transmit as soon as possible, such queries as he thinks desirable. Meanwhile, should the Earl of Carnarvon approve, I will obtain preliminary information from other coffee-growing countries, which, with Dr. Thwaites' observations, would form a basis on which to draw up a series of practical queries for circulation amongst the Consuls and other persons in coffee-growing countries.
I am, &c. (Signed) JOS. D. HOOKER.
Sir,
No. 4.
Colonial Office to Dr. Hooker.
Downing Street, August 13, 1874.
I AM directed by the Earl of Carnarvon to express to you his Lordship's thanks for your letter of the 6th instant,† containing observations on Dr. Thwaites' Report on the coffee-leaf disease of Ceylon.
2. The Governor of Ceylon will be requested to call upon Dr. Thwaites to draw up queries as you suggest, and when they are received his Lordship will communicate them to you for final revision.
3. I am to add that his Lordship gladly avails himself of your offer of obtaining preliminary information.
• No. 2.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
+ No. 8,
No. 5.
The Earl of Carnarvon to the Governor of Ceylon.
Sir,
Downing Street, August 15, 1874. I COMMUNICATED a copy of Mr. Birch's despatch of the 10th of June,* together with Dr. Thwaites' Report on the Royal Botanic Gardens of Ceylon to Dr. Hooker.
2. From the correspondence which has passed on this subject, a copy of which
I inclose for your information and guidance, you will perceive that Dr. Hooker will be prepared, on the receipt of Dr. Thwaites' queries, to assist in every way in collecting information on the coffee-leaf disease.t
(Signed)
No. 6.
I am, &c. .
CARNARVON.
The Right Hon. W. H. Gregory to the Earl of Carnarvon.—(Received November 17.) My Lord,
Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, October 12, 1874. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch of the 15th August last, forwarding copy of correspondence with Dr. Hooker on the subject of coffee-leaf disease, I have the honour to transmit copy of a letter from Mr. Thwaites, inclosing questions which he suggests should be sent to Her Majesty's Consuls or to other officers residing in countries where the coffee tree is cultivated to any extent.
It will be seen from Mr. Thwaites' letter that he recommends that dried specimens of stem or foliage, illustrating the character of the disease, should be sent with the replies to the queries.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
Inclosure I in No. 6.
W. H. GREGORY.
Sir,
IN complying with the request conveyed to me in your letter of the 22nd ultimo, I have the honour of handing you the questions I would suggest being sent to Her Majesty's Consuls or to other officers residing in countries where the coffee tree is cultivated to any
Royal Botanic Gardens, Pérádeniya, October 6, 1874.
extent.
I would also take the liberty to recommend that instructions be given that, when answers are sent to these questions, there should be forwarded with them dried specimens of stem or foliage illustrating the character of the disease.
Information respecting any other diseases affecting seriously the coffee or any other plants of economic importance might also be asked for, and specimens of the same forwarded to the Colonial Office.
In all cases it would be particularly desirable that, whether the injury to the plant result from the attacks of fungi or from those of insects, good examples of these pests should be sent for identification.
It may, perhaps, not be considered irrelevant my remarking that, according to my experience, the obtaining such information as is desired from parties interested in the cultivation, is frequently attended with some difficulty, owing to an unwillingness on their part to acknowledge there may be any probability of the quantity or quality of their crops being seriously affected.
I have, &c. (Sigued)
The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.
Inclosure 2 in No. 6.
Questions.
1. HAVE the cultivated coffee trees in
G. H. K. THWAITES.
been observed to be affected
by a disease which causes their leaves to become, at certain times and somewhat rapidly,
• No. 1.
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↑ Now. 2, 3, and 4.
No. 8.
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