326 Fruit-growing in Arid Regions 



severe, the markings do not necessarily injure the fruit, 

 but marked fruit can hardly be graded strictly fancy. 

 When the injury is confined to a light mark in the calyx 

 end, the fruit is often allowed to go into the fancy pack. 

 Evaporation seems to take place rapidly through this 

 cork, russeted surface, and fruit like that shown in the 

 figure has a decided tendency to wilt. 



The russet is more evenly distributed over the entire 

 surface of pears, a condition that is decidedly objection- 

 able in such clear-skinned varieties as 

 the Bartlett. It detracts greatly from 

 their beauty when ripened. 



Frost Blisters. An injury to the 

 foliage commonly called "frost blister " 

 is shown in Figure 88. On close ex- 

 amination these crinkled leaves show 

 separation of the upper and lower sur- 

 FIG. 87. Frost Rus- f aces, with numerous cracks on the 

 lower side. Their curled appearance 

 or their yellowing up and falling off in midsummer often 

 alarms the fruit-grower, who does not know the origin of 

 the trouble. The figure shows that only the first leaves 

 are affected, and while it may be a temporary check to 

 the tree, the effect is not lasting. 



Injury to Buds or Bloom. Under this head it is pro- 

 posed to discuss fatal and retrievable injury to buds or 

 bloom, and try to explain what indicates fatality. It 

 very often happens that a bud is killed before it opens, yet 

 it will expand and will shed its petals as a normal bloom. 

 Fatal injury to buds may be easily detected by splitting 

 them with a sharp knife and examining the organs inside. 



