Bitter Pit in Apples. 17 



Tliough, as far as my observations and experiments go, I 

 have limited them to the supposition that the spray passes 

 through the breathing pores of the fruit itself, from the 

 exterior, it is by no means impossible that some of the spray 

 which falls on to the ground, or is washed down by rain, and 

 gradually accumulates in the soil, might enter the plant through 

 the root hairs. That soil is capable of retaining arsenical com- 

 pounds for a considerable length of time is well known, and 

 when an orchard is sprayed 6 to 16 times in one season, the 

 amount of poisonous spray reaching the soil must become 

 quite appreciable. The sensitive fruit cells would probably 

 be more suscetptible to poison than the other parts of the 

 plant since their living protoplasm is reduced to a mere 

 attenuated filament, but this would necessarily be a matter for 

 future investigation. 



It might, however, be worth while for orchardists interested 

 in this matter to remove the top 6 inches of the soil from 

 around a tree, which is regularly badly affected with bitter 

 pit, and to replace it with fresh soil mixed with rotted stable 

 manure, to leave the tree unsprayed, and to note whether the 

 pitting were still produced, and if so, to what extent. 



In conclusion I take the opportunity of thanking Professor 

 Ewart for the contribution of the results of his own experi- 

 ments, also for his most valuable advice and assistance. I 

 wish also to thank Mr. O'Brien, assistant in the Botanical 

 Department of the University, for the great lielp lie has afforded 

 in obtaining material, assisting with experiments, taking 

 photographs, etc. 



My thanks are due, too, to the following gentlemen, who, in 

 the busiest season of the year, spared some of their valuable 

 time to discuss this matter with me, and afforded useful in- 

 formation : — Ml-. Keck, junr., Bendigo, Mr. Somerville, Strath 

 fieldsaye, Mr. Warren, Harcourt, Mr. Warner, Ardmona, Mr. 

 Finlay, Diamond Cieek, Mr. C. Lawrey, Diamond Creek, Mr. G. 

 Shepherd, Somerville. 



