10 THE BITTER ROT OF APPLES. 



The Pathologist and Physiologist of the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1901 says: a 



The losses caused by bitter rot in the Middle States often amount to half or three- 

 fourths of the entire fruit crop, single large growers sometimes losing 10,000 barrels of 

 apples. One firm estimated that their losses in 1900 on apples bought in the orchard 

 in Missouri alone amounted to §20,000 to $30,000, and orchards which in midsummer 

 promised a yield of 25,000 barrels of choice apples produced only about fi,000 barrels 

 of indifferent fruit, owing to this disease. The president of the National Apple 

 Shippers' Association estimated that the damage to the apple crop of the United 

 States in 1900 from bitter rot was 810,000,000. 



In some years the destruction was so great as to cause many fruit 

 growers to abandon the business, and instances have been known 

 where men have leased their bearing orchards at §5 per acre for 

 periods of five years, preferring to be assured of that small amount 

 rather than risk getting nothing from their trees because of the work 

 of this fungus. 



Older reports make mention of extensive destruction. Galloway 

 reported in 1889 that "in certain places in Virginia, Kentucky, Ten- 

 nessee, Missouri, and Arkansas our agents report this season a destruc- 

 tion of from 50 to 75 per cent of the crop." 



Garman in 1893 stated that bitter rot probably caused more loss to 

 Kentucky fruit growers than any other disease, and statements of this 

 character have appeared from time to time and with increasing 

 frequency in the reports of experiment stations and horticultural 

 societies. 



The sudden appearance of the disease at a time when the grower has 

 spent time, money, and energy in producing a large crop, and the 

 almost total destruction of the apples in a few days, causes the disease 

 to be universally feared. It has probably done more to discourage 

 apple growing in many regions than all other troubles, including both 

 fungous and insect discuses combined. 



In spite of the universal and destructive appearance of this disease, 

 comparatively little had been accomplished until recently toward pre- 

 venting or even checking the bitter rot, although its cause was clearly 

 established by Berkeley in 1856, as described more fully hereafter. 

 while other observers have given detailed accounts of spraying experi- 

 ments. Ever since the experiment stations were established investi- 

 gations have been conducted looking toward preventive measures. 

 Many papers on the subject have been written, an idea of the number 

 of which can be gathered by referring to the bibliography at the end 

 of this Bulletin. 



In the following pages a general account of the disease, a description 

 of the fungus and its life history, and some facts which have recently 

 been discovered in regard to its mode of life, etc.. are presented. 



"Annual Reports, Department of Agriculture, 1901, p. 4', 



