the epidermis. Fusarium has frequently, but not always, been 

 found by us growing on sections of tomato fruit in sterilized 

 Petri dishes. An abundance of bacteria of a uniform character 

 was also present along with the Fusarium, and when inoculations 

 were made from isolated forms, the rot was always produced. 



The same type of bacterial organism was repeatedly found 

 by Miss Smith in her investigations, and this has been described 

 by her in technical bulletin No. 3 of this Station. Numerous 

 observers have noted bacteria in connection with these tomato 

 rots. F. S. Earle, after three years' study, came to the con- 

 clusion that a species of bacillus was the sole cause of the rot, 

 and William Stuart^ isolated a bacillus from a tomato rot found 

 in a greenhouse in Indiana which would appear to be similar, 

 if not identical, with that described by F. S. Earle and Miss 

 Smith. B. D. Halsted,^ on the other hand, considered tomato rot 

 in New Jersey as being caused by Macrosporium tomato, Cook. 



F. C. Stewart^ mentions Macrosporium and a species of 

 Fusarium as being present in tomato rot which he studied, and 

 S. A. Beach'* published a note on a tomato rot found in a green- 

 house. F. C. Stewart, who made an examination of the disease, 

 failed to identify any fungus trouble or isolate any organism. 

 He mentions bacteria as being present in small numbers. 



Our observations on the rot, which have been extensive, 

 coincide with those of F. S. Earle and Miss Smith, namely, that 

 bacteria are the primary cause of the tomato rot and the presence 

 of fungi is always secondary; and that in all probability most, 

 if not all, of the so-called blossom end rot of tomatoes is caused 

 by a specific bacterial organism. The bacilli isolated repeatedly 

 by Miss Smith and myself are identical and appear to be the 

 same as those briefly described by Earle and Stuart. 



THEORIES IN REGARD TO THE CAUSE OF ROT 



There are various ideas concerning the causes which underlie 

 susceptibility to tomato rot. It has been maintained that soils 

 too rich in nitrogenous fertilizers induce the rot, and that those 

 plants fertilized with potash and phosphoric acid show more rot 

 than those which are not fertilized. Some claim that a rainy 

 season favors the rot, but practically all of the experienced grow- 

 ers of tomatoes whom we have consulted maintain that a dry 

 season is more favorable for rot than a wet season. 



Prof. L. H. Bailey has stated that heavy applications of 



1. Ind. Agr. Exp. Sta., 13th Rept, 1900, p. 13. 



2. N. J. Agr. Exp. Station, 24th Rept., 1903, p. — . 



3. N. Y. (Geneva) Agr. Exp. Sta., 14th Rept., 1895, p. 529. 



4. N. Y. (Geneva) Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. No. 125, 1897, p. 305. 



