950 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. 1017 



about eighteen hours, showed that these berries 

 on an average exhibited two or three per box 

 with very small rotten spots, perhaps 2 to 3 

 mm. in diameter though only rarely, even 

 under the lens, was any mold apparent. 



Visits to the fields showed many berries, 

 green as well as ripe, rotting and molding 

 while still on the vines. 



While several types of fungi were present 

 the one which was most characteristic was a 

 Botrytis, probably Botrytis cinerea. 



In the disease history, typically, the rotten 

 spot appears, attains a size of several milli- 

 meters. Then a slight surface mold visible 

 under the lens comes over the spot. Later the 

 center of this area becomes coated with the 

 typical Botrytis conidia, the whole berry be- 

 coming rapidly involved. 



In late stages the picture may become com- 

 plicated by invasion of other fungi, partic- 

 ularly by Rhizopus nigricans. 



The sorters on the berry farms throw out 

 most of the infected berries and these may be 

 seen, bushels of them, near the sorting benches. 

 Such discarded berries when several days old 

 were almost always covered with Botrytis 

 spores and the refuse heap reminded one of an 

 immense culture dish of this fungus, though 

 invariably contaminated by Rhizopus. 



To ascertain whether apparently sound 

 berries were really infected culture chambers 

 were improvised of jelly jars with the aid of 

 absorbent cotton. 



The following tests were made in such 

 dishes : 



1. A large number of berries showing incip- 

 ient decay but with no mold visible under the 

 lens, were cultured. In twenty-four hours 

 every berry showed profuse mold in nearly all 

 cases of the Botrytis type ; in a few cases other 

 and various types. 



2. A large number of apparently healthy 

 berries, fully ripe, but carefully selected were 

 cultured. These at twenty-four and at forty- 

 eight hours showed no mold. 



3. A large number of ripe healthy berries 

 were severely jammed, bruised and crushed 

 then cultured. They showed no mold in 

 twenty-four hours. 



4. A large number of berries showing tari- 

 ous imperfections, sun scald, blister, insect 

 injury, imperfect fertilization but no rotten 

 spots were cultured. No mold appeared. 



5. Sound berries were placed half covered 

 with water. No mold appeared in twenty-four 

 hours. 



All of the above tests were made at room 

 temperature. 



From the practically universal presence of 

 the Botrytis on young infected areas and its 

 predominance on the refuse heaps I believe that 

 this fungus is the primary cause of the mold- 

 ing, that the Botrytis initiates the decay, open- 

 ing the way to such other saprophytes as may 

 be present; of such saprophytes, Rhizopus is 

 by far the most prominent and most abundant. 



Laboratory tests which I have since made 

 show that a berry inoculated with Rhizopus 

 will rot rapidly with the escape of a large 

 amount of liquid. It therefore seems probable 

 that the " leaks " are due largely if not en- 

 tirely to Rhizopus invasion. 



Both the Botrytis and Rhizopus have been 

 separated in pure culture in my laboratory 

 and further study of these as well as of the 

 other berry fungi will be made. 



In the way of prevention extremely rigid 

 sorting should be emphasized and it would 

 also be well to prevent the refuse heaps from 

 becoming culture beds of the fungus. This 

 can perhaps best be accomplished by liberal 

 use of lime. 



F. L. Stevens 



Uebana, Illinois, 

 May 8, 1914 



THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 

 The forty-ninth general meeting of the Ameri- 

 can Chemical Society was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, 

 Monday, April 6, to Friday, April 10. The meet- 

 ing opened with a council meeting on the eve- 

 ning of April 6. Tuesday morning the general 

 meeting of the society was held in the auditorium 

 of the University of Cincinnati and was addressed 

 by the Hon. Frederick S. Spiegel, mayor of Cin- 

 cinnati, and by President Charles W. Dabney, of 

 the University of Cincinnati, both welcoming the 

 society to the city. President T. W. Eichards, of 



