state; pomological society. 73 



fying enzymes (ferments) produced in these other fruits and 

 thus rendered subject to this manner of infection. In one 

 instance (less than i%) infection occurred through calyx lobes. 

 Here the blue mold had apparently become soprophytic upon 

 the calyx lobes of the fruit and then had become parasitic as its 

 mycelium entered the living tissues of its host. In a number 

 of instances blue mold was found growing vigorously and pro- 

 ducing abundant spore pustules on the stems of apples. That 

 it sometimes gets into the flesh of the fruit by first growing as 

 a saprophyte upon the stem is altogether possible; but in no 

 instance was this found. 



From this discussion it is evident that blue mold is preem- 

 inently a wound parasite. Proper spraying so that the skin 

 will not be broken by scab or insect injury and careful handling 

 so that it will not be broken by mechanical injury will almost 

 entirely prevent its parasitism in apple tissues. 



Sixty-six of the 788 decaying apples in the lot mentioned 

 were decaying with the pink mold or pink rot. Pink rot does 

 not cause the entire decay of the fruit like blue mold. In fact 

 the decayed tissue usually extends to a depth of only about 1-4 

 inch; but the decay spreads over the surface and spoils the 

 fruit for market. In 22 instances (or 33%) this rot was an 

 attendant of apple scab. The scab fungus ruptured the epider- 

 mis of the apple and prepared the way for the pink mold spore 

 to enter. In 15 instances (or 23%) entrance had been made 

 through ruptures in the epidermis made by bruising. In the 

 remaining 29 cases (or 44%) entrance was made through the 

 calyx lobes. This disease too had probably started growing 

 upon the calyx lobes in its ordinary role as a saprophyte, its 

 mycelium later entering the live tissues of the fruit and becom- 

 ing parasitic. This peculiarity was noted in only two varieties, 

 however, (Patten and Anisim), and it is possible that there 

 is some peculiarity in the structure or substance of their calyx 

 lobes to encourage this rather peculiar habit, as the fungus was 

 found many times on the calyx lobes of other varieties without 

 entering the fleshy tissues of the fruit. In no case was the 

 disease found entering the fruit through the unbroken skin. 

 * Eustace, however, states that in case of a tender skinned 



* Eustace, Bulletin No. 227, New York Agr. Exp. Sta., p. 382. 



