[Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 24 fN.S.), Pt. I., 1911.] 



Akt J. — Bitter Pit in Apples. aS^/ ^ -vn 



By jean white, D.Sc, l'::^\'^ ' ^ ^/ ^ ^ 



Government Research Scholar, University of MelbourAe^X*^ ^. - 

 (With Plates I.-IX.). 

 [Read 11th May, 1911], 



About the middle of 1910 atteintion was attracted by the news- 

 papers to the common occurrence of this disease in some of our 

 Australian fruits. Owing to the fact that it apparently deve- 

 loped during the transit of the fruits, however carefully they 

 might be selected and packed, it has proved extremely dele- 

 terious to our fruit export trade, and it seemed worth while to 

 devote part of my research time to the investigation of this 

 important economic question, and accordingly, through the 

 kindness of Mr. Crowe, the head of the Government Cool Stores 

 in Melbourne, a quantity of pitted fruit was obtained, and 

 examined, first histologically, and then physiologically, beginning 

 with the investigation of the enzymes in both sound and diseased 

 specimens. The first results were obtained in September, 1910, 

 and were published up to date in the Journal of the Department 

 of Agriculture of Victoria, December, 1910. The bulk of the field 

 work has been carried out at Burnley Horticultural Gardens, and 

 sincerest thanks are due to the kindness of the Principal, Mr. 

 Pescott, who granted the use of the orchard and supplied me with 

 letters of introduction to some of the leading fruitgrowers in 

 different parts of the States, besides helping in various other 

 ways. 



On the 30th of March, 1911, I formulated a theory as to the 

 cause of the disease, and I have been requested to publish this, 

 as it stands, by the members of a commission appointed by the 

 Commonwealth, though it is of necessity still unproved, as the 

 minimum time required for a complete investigation is two 

 seasons. In the event of its being disproved during the coming 

 season the results obtained and put forward in this paper should 

 save any subsequent investigators a great deal of time and 



