29 



will have to thin your fruit if you are going to compete with 

 the fellows in the west. 



PRESIDENT FROST. That question might be saved 

 for the market men this afterQoon. Has anyone else any 

 other question? 



MR. SPALDING OF BOSTON. I have heard quite a 

 prominent man advocate a kind of copious overhead irrigat- 

 ing system, simply the use of a copious amount of water. 

 Can anybody tell me anything about that? 



DR. WHETZEL. I don't know a thing about it. 



MR. WILSON. I would like to inquire about the Bald- 

 win spot, the cause of it. 



DR. WHETZEL. I am afraied you are asking me a 

 hard one. It is an exceedingly common disease, not only 

 on Baldwins but on other varieties. The sympton is a 

 fc-lightly sunken, brown spot, usually more apparent around 

 the blossom end, and when you cut into the fruit under these 

 spots you will find the flesh dead for half or a quarter of an 

 inch inside. Oftentimes you will find the spot further in, 

 scattering through the flesh. Sometimes when it is serious 

 the flesh will be bitter, and it has been called "bitter rot." 

 It is not the bitter rot of the middle west. The best name 

 for Baldwin spot is stippen, a German name, which means 

 sinking or dipping. It is not a fungus disease, not caused 

 by fungi or bacteria. Therefore it is a physiological disease 

 which means that we don't know anything about it. 

 [Laughter]. I can detail for you several theories with re- 

 gard to the cause of this disease, and it will probably inter- 

 est you because of all the men I have ever met farmers are 

 the greatest on theory. [Laughter]. If you don't believe 

 it, just start a question about anything down at the hotel 

 and see how many theories you will get. There is a theory 

 in regard to the Baldwin spot which is worth considering, 

 however. Those who have investigated the disease most, 

 especially in recent years in South Africa and Australia, 

 where it is very destructive, hold one or two theories. The 

 first is that it is due to a disturbance of the water supply. 



