A new apple rot, B. 0. Longyear ( Colorado Sta. Bui. 105, pp. 12, pis. 4). — There 

 has been recently observed in Colorado a widely distributed decay of apples and 

 pears which seems to be due to an undescribed species of Alternaria. The fungus 

 was first reported at the station in 1902, when it was recognized by W. Paddock, 

 and some inoculation experiments were made in 1904. 



So far as studied, the fungus attacks only the fruit of the apple, its most common 

 point of attack being the blossom end. The affected fruits show dark purplish brown, 

 slightly sunken areas at the base of the sepals. This area may remain small and 

 scarcely noticeable for a long time, but when the fruit is placed in storage it is apt to 

 increase in extent until the fruit is entirely decayed. In some cases, although not 

 usually, the blossom end of the apple is cracked open and the adjoining tissue is 

 more or less discolored. 



The rotting caused by the fungus is not so rapid as that caused by many of the soft 

 rot fungi, and it seems probable that fruit affected by the Alternaria in many cases 

 succumbs to some of the more rapidly acting rots which seem to follow it. 



In many cases there is no noticeable evidence of the presence of the fungus until 

 the apple is cut through, when the core cavity is found to be blackened or discolored. 

 In the majority of such cases the parchment-like lining of the seed cavity is the only 

 part to show the discoloration. This appears brownish or blackened and the seeds 

 are usually covered with a dark colored growth of the mycelium. The invasion of 

 Xhv core by the fungus appears to be most common among certain varieties, the 

 Winesap being especially subject to this form of attack. The reason for this is found 

 in the peculiar structural character of the fruit. Varieties having deep calyx tubes 

 seem to be more subject to this form of attack. 



In the case of the pear the fungus has been found on fruit, leaves, and young 

 sprouts. The fruit is liable to be attacked at almost any point. On the leaves the 

 fungus produces brown spots of considerable size. 



The microscopic characters of the fungus are described at considerable length, and, 

 although not extensively investigated, it appears from infections that the fungus 

 gains entrance to the fruit through the withered stamens and stigmas which remain 

 at the blossom end of the fruit. The principal source of infection in the spring 

 appears to be diseased fruits, which remain in the orchard, either lying on the ground 

 or sometimes clinging to the fruit spurs. The fungus also hibernates on the twigs 

 and fruit spurs, as was observed during the past season. Wounds in the fruit caused 

 by the larva? of the codling moth frequently give entrance to the Alternaria. 



Numerous cultures have been made of the fungus, and inoculation from these 

 resulted in the formation of decayed areas in 2 or 3 days. The only fruit besides the 

 pear and apple which was inoculated with the fungus was the tomato, but in this 

 case it made no progress. 



As previously noted, some varieties of apple are more subject to disease than others, 

 and among the pears the Keiffer is the only one which has shown liability to attack. 



Xo attempt has been made to estimate the amount of injury due to this new rot, 

 but it is not believed to be very destructive as compared with some of the fruit rots 

 which attack the apple and pear in more humid regions. 



In the absence of experimental work for the control of the Alternaria rot the 

 author suggests clean culture, the use of fungicides, and the rejection of those varie- 

 ties which are particularly susceptible to the attacks of the fungus. 



California vine or Anaheim disease — its cause and nature, H. Hoops {How 

 to make grape culture profitable in California. Wrights, Cal.: Author, 1904, pp. 3-8). — 

 The author has been making a special study of the California vine disease and claims 

 that its prime cause is the great change in the moisture content of soils from wet in 

 the spring to dry during the latter part of the summer. 



If the soils were always wet or always dry there would be no disease. In order to 

 prove this claim the author irrigated vines of susceptible varieties during the early 



