273 Report of the Horticulturist. 



but, as observed in the forcing houses at this Station, there are 

 no indications that either the stem or the leaves are attacked by 

 the disease. 



The remarkable feature of this rot is the total absence of 

 fungus hyphse from the tissues of the fruits in the early stages 

 of the disease. Neither is there, at this time, any species of bac- 

 terium very abundant. Micrococci in zoogloea may be frequently 

 seen but not in large numbers. Old specimens often show 

 species of Fusa.rium and Penicillium and various bacteria. Frag- 

 ments of diseased tissue were taken, with sterilized instruments, 

 from the interior of fruits recently attacked by the disease, and 

 cultivated on neutral agar in Petri dishes. Nothing developed 

 in any of these cultures. A Petri-dish culture on agar acidified 

 with malic acid, likewise, gave negative results. If any organism 

 is connected with this disease it is one which does not grow 

 readily on agar. 



