422 BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN MEMOIRS 



and loss in some products are sure to occur, no matter how great 

 care has been given them before shipment. 



The grower and the shipper, however, are subject to many hazards 

 and conditions, some of which are beyond their control. Chief 

 among these are climatic factors. There are many things, however, 

 which can be done by the producer to prevent or reduce losses of this 

 kind. All practical means of prevention should be utilized and as 

 soon as the cause of the trouble in any specific case is determined, 

 every reasonable and practicable effort should be made by the pro- 

 ducer or shipper to remove such cause. On the other hand, the carrier 

 should modify and improve his equipment and methods when neces- 

 sary to insure the delivery of perishable products in a sound condition. 



The various cases described above show something of the variety 

 and complexity of the problems involved and the need of thorough 

 investigations to discover the causes and remedies in each case. 



The numerous factors involved in the case of any two products or 

 diseases are frequently not the same and when they happen to be the 

 same are not of equal importance. Most of them are primarily 

 pathological or have very direct pathological bearings. Where fungi 

 are concerned, as in most cases, full knowledge must be obtained of 

 their host relations, time, mode and conditions of infection, tempera- 

 ture and moisture relations and the effect on their development of 

 various methods of treatment of the fruit or vegetable during its 

 production, harvesting, packing, handling and transportation. 



The present agencies interested in and at present studying these 

 problems are the pathologists, pomologists, horticulturists, refrigera- 

 tion engineers, the specialists in markets and marketing, the railway- 

 freight claims associations, and the commercial inspection services. 

 The most complete cooperation of all these agencies is necessary in 

 order to solve these important problems most quickly and thus reduce 

 as far as possible this great economic loss. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES IX-XI 



Plate IX. Two flasks of Missionary strawberries kept two days at ordinary 

 room temperature, a. Containing fruit in natural condition free from wounds. 

 b. Containing same quantity of fruit inoculated with Rhizopus. 



Plate X. Three wounded strawberries above; three sound berries below. 

 All were sown with spores of Rhizopus. Photographed after two days at ordinary 

 room temperature. The three wounded berries entirely destroyed, the three others 

 sound. 



Plate XI. Pile of spoiled cranberries discarded in sorting and screening. Loss 

 chiefly due to fungous disease and to the effect of ripening processes and their pro- 

 ducts or smothering. 



