THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



405 



severe ciittiug back method is practiced. Spraying or meaas of fungus 

 control is not used. 



We found that in some orchards the lichens, moss and other plant 

 parasites Avere removed from the trunks and main limbs of the trees by- 

 plastering them with a heavy coating of clay. One of the aerial plant 

 parasites, called Ilcrva do Passarinho, is removed by pulling the vines 

 from the trees and burning them. Little clear cut evidence of resistance 

 to fungous diseases by individual trees in the orchards was observed. 



Chlorosis or mottle leaf was found in most orchards. The liberal use 

 of manure is the method used for controlling this condition, and 

 sufficient reliable evidence was observed to prove that this method has 

 been and is effective. 



Our observations of the behavior of insect enemies and fungous dis- 

 eases led us to believe that the region of Bahia particularly is a fertile 

 field for study by entomologists and pathologists interested in the 

 investigation of the citrus enemies and parasites. 



PICKING. 



The color of the ripe navel oranges at Bahia is yellowish green. After 

 picking, during storage, the green color fades out and the fruits assume 

 a yellowish appearance. They do not have the typical orange or reddish 

 orange color of the California navels. When ripe the Bahian navels are 

 larger than the California navels, the skin is of smooth texture, the 

 fruits have a thin rind, coarse rag, and are very juicy. The juice is 

 lacking in acid and is comparatively insipid in quality. 



A comparison of some of the factors in a typical Bahian and a Cali- 

 fornia navel fruit is as follows : 



The time of picking varies with the type of tree, one crop ripening in 

 November, December and January, the larger normal year crop ripening 

 in June, July and August, while on some trees the fruits ripen more or 

 less regularly during the entire year. 



The picking is usually done by pulling or breaking the fruits from the 

 trees. The oranges are allowed to drop to the ground as they are 

 picked. After picking the fruits are usuall}^ collected into central piles 

 by throwing them together. They are then thrown into saclcs carried 

 over the shoulder or by mule back to the farm house where they are 

 dumped out on the ground or stone paving. Here the fruits are assorted 

 into two si^^es, large and small grades. They are then counted and the 

 grower receives his money on the spot. 



Careful handling was unknown and no precautions were taken to 

 prevent mechanical injuries. A large percentage of the picked fruits 

 had long stems, the fruits showed much bruisincr and many injuries due 

 to gravel punctures and abrasions due to methods of handling. Natu- 

 rally we observed much decay in picked fruits in the markets and other 

 places, due to blue mold, brown rot and other diseases developed in the 

 fruits through mechanical injuries. 



