52 



aperture in the blossom end, and thence into the core-chambers of the 

 apple. Here the threads grow and fructify until they finally attack 

 the pulp of the apple, which they usually do at some point between 

 the core-chamber and the blossom end. The attack on the pulp is 

 accompanied by a brownish rot. A knowledge of this simple fact 

 should prove of value to the apple-growers of the State. They are 

 now endeavouring to place saleable apples on the English and other 

 northern markets. Apples for that purpose must possess good keeping 

 qualities. It is, therefore, a good thing to know that varieties with 

 large open channels leading to the core-cavities are not likely to prove 

 good keepers. 



There is an apple of the pippin sort (I have heard it called the 

 New York pippin), quite common in the Sydney market in the late 

 autumn, that is very subject to mouldy-core. It is of medium size 

 and fine flavour, and a nice-looking apple for the table ; nevertheless 

 it gives great dissatisfaction, because so many on opening turn out to 

 be worthless, or nearly so. Many Sydney hotelkeepers, caterers, and 

 housewives will bear me out in these statements. The sooner such 

 apples are put out of date the better, for there are equally good sorts 

 not subject to mouldy-core, which can be grown in their stead. They 

 will soon be discarded if both growers and buyers will bear in mind 

 that there is an easily and readily applied test that will at once detect 

 them. 



Place the apple stem downward and cut it in halves exactly through 

 the middle ; if an open passage leading to the core-chambers is found, 

 then the apple must be regarded with suspicion; if the core contains 

 the slightest trace of mould, then it is certain that before long the 

 apple would have rotted. If among the first two or three apples of a 

 case tried in this way one is found defective, it is certain that all will 

 soon rot. 



Recently I have given this matter further attention for the reason 

 that it has come often under my notice as a cause of loss to the fruit 

 industry, a loss which it seemed to me might well be prevented to a 

 considerable extent by the application of selection, and of other 

 measures that could be easily brought into action, if only the way were 

 made plain. 



Through the liberality of various prominent apple growers in the 

 State, I have been enabled to examine a series of specimens of various 

 kinds with the object of making a preliminary survey of the 

 subject. My object has been to see to what extent the various kinds 

 of apple differ one from another in respect to the presence and nature 

 of the passage mentioned above as leading from the eye to the core 

 cavities, and especially to see whether the different specimens of a. 

 given variety varied in this respect. If, for instance, it could be shown 

 that some particular tree of a given variety was better in this respect 

 than any other, a way would be opened, by means of grafts from this 

 tree, to improve the variety. 



With this idea in view, the various orchardists were invited to mark 

 their specimens in such a manner as to permit afterwards of referring 



