98 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cnHural industries of this state. We can learn much from the ex- 

 perience of others. Let not Micliigan jji-owers then, be backward in 

 considering a method of uniform paclimg, which has been proved to 

 possess such great advantages. I thank you. 



THE BLUE MOLD APPLE ROT. 



BY H. J. BUELL^ HIGHLAND^, MICH. 



Mr. Chairman. Members and Friends of The Horticultural Society: 



There would be no need for the present important question ''The Blue 

 INIold A]»ple Rot" if it Avere possible to consume every apple as soon 

 as it is picked from the tree. You all knoAv, storage is the only salva- 

 tion of the over-supplied apple markets. From 20.000,000 to 40,000,000 

 barrels are put in storage each year and from 15 to 20% are lost by 

 storage rot. Blue Mold Rot causes 90% of all storage rot and hence 

 its importance. 



The same blue mold you all have observed on apple barrels left stand- 

 ing in a damp place cau.ses the Blue Mold Apple Rot. This organism 

 may be working on the apple, causing rot, before the characteristic blue 

 patches are formed on the apple. This is shown by the specimen I have 

 .hei*e. These blue patches might be compared to puff balls and are filled 

 with thousands, yes millions, of small invisible balls called spores. These 

 spores are spread by the Avind as is illustrated by blowing on a puff ball. 



In order to get the rot in the apples at least one spore must grow, 

 and to grow the skin must be ruptured. The fact is a large number of 

 spores are sure to get to the flesh Avhenever the skin is broken. All these 

 apples I have here show this plainly. 



The skin on apple No. 1 was broken Nov. 21 and then it was dipped 

 as w^ere all these apples in water containing three rot spores. The re- 

 sult on No. 1 is very evident. No. 2 apple was bruised but the skin was 

 not broken. No Blue Mold Rot has taken place. No. ,3 Avas sound and it 

 is still sound. Nos. 2 and 3 shoAv absolutely that the spore must get 

 through the skin to cause the rot. Scab spots and broken off stems are 

 other ways the rot may gain entrance. 



AVarm weather increases this kind of rot and hence the advisability 

 of transfering packed barrels immediately to cold storage as soon as 

 packed. The tendency for this rot is greater, too, where the fruit is 

 packed in a packing house. This is due to more dust and a confinement 

 of the air. 



Thousands of dollars could be saved if the growers would exercise 

 more care in handling their fruit — preA'enting picking and bench bruises, 

 stem holes, finger nail cuts, etc. It is true that the rot can be partially 

 controlled by cold storage temperature but this control is not to be de- 

 pended upon. 



Gentlemen! here is the situation. Western apples hold a better repu-- 

 tation but they cannot compare Avith the flavor of the IMichigan product. 

 The fact is, no state in the Union can equal our first quality in flavor 

 but the Westerners do beat us on the keeping qualities of fruit. Extreme 



