APPLE DISEASES 



495 



showed water core, while an adjacent 

 orchard on the same type of soil, with 

 the same varieties of apples, but not ir- 

 rigated, showed not over 5 per cent of the 

 fruit affected. Another case was noted 

 where an orchard was severely pruned 

 during the latter part of August, expos- 

 ing most of the fruit. In this orchard, 

 nearly all of the fruit became water-cored, 

 while an adjacent orchard growing under 

 the same conditions, but unpruned, had 

 very little water core. Another orchard 

 where one-half the trees were pruned, as 

 above, showed 90 per cent water core in 

 the part pruned, while the unpruned 

 trees did not show more than 5 per cent. 

 As has been stated before, water core 

 is more liable to occur in exposed fruits, 

 especially those far out on the terminals 

 and those on the south or southwest parts 

 of the tree. In order to prove that this 

 is universally true, I had a large number 

 of boxes of fruit picked from the south 

 and southwest parts of trees by picl<ers 

 who did not know my purpose. I also 

 had fruit picked from the unexposed 

 parts of trees. In the former case, fully 

 90 per cent of the fruit showed water 

 core, while less than 5 per cent were 

 found to be water-cored in the latter 

 case. This proved to be a very important 

 matter in the segregation of water-cored 

 fruits preparatory to boxing for ship- 

 ment. 



The examination of water-cored fruit 

 shows that it is water-cored in proportion 

 to its exposure to extremes of tempera- 

 ture and humidity. The side or part of 

 an apple presented to the direct action of 

 the sun's rays will show more water- 

 soaked tissue than the part not so ex- 

 posed. In the orchard, or even with the 

 fruit in the boxes, the careful observer 

 may pick out the water-cored fruit, al- 

 though no evidence of water-soaked tis- 

 sue may be seen. Usually, water-cored 

 apples have a much higher color than 

 those not affected. In the Newtown, a 

 yellow variety, a blush or colored cheek 

 usually indicates a water-cored fruit. A 

 normal Newtown should be green when 

 picked. Water core is much more easily 

 detected in yellow than in red varieties 

 of apples. 



In both sections of the fruit the parts 

 marked v are vascular bundles, which 

 are ten in number. It will be noted in 

 the cross section that the upper bundles 

 show smaller areas of water-soaked tis- 

 sue than the lower bundles which have 

 rather large areas surrounding them 

 showing a water-soaked appearance. In 

 the region marked c of the cross section 

 there are large areas of water-cored tis- 

 sue, the injury extending outward to the 

 epidermis. The water-soaked area is on 

 the side of the fruit presented to the 

 direct rays of the sun, while the upper 



Fig. 1. Longitudinal and Cross Section of Newtown Apple Affected with Water Core 



