THE CUBA REVI EW 



29 



As soon as the flowers of a raceme are open, the insects, attracted by their 

 sweet odor, go to them, carrying the spores of the fungus from flower to flower, 

 thus rapidly infecting them and spreading the disease further. 



The Remedy. — The attacks of the fungus can be easily controlled with two 

 thorough applications of Bordeaux mixture with an interval of about two weeks. 

 For the preparation of this fungicide see Circular No. 30, page 6, or Bui. No. 33, 

 page 22, of this Station. 



We hope that by these means of publicity the bloom blight of mango and its 

 treatment may be well known to the fruit growers of this country. 



P. P. CARDIN, B. Sc, 

 Cuba Experiment Station, Dept. Plant Pathology. 



Stem End Rot of Citrus Fruit. 



H. S. Fawcett, of the Florida Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station, says: 



"A new soft-rot has this year made its 

 appearance in a serious form, on grape- 

 fruit, oranges and tangerines, in a num- 

 ber of counties in Florida. If not 

 checked it will destroy large quantities 

 of fruit. 



"It attacks full-sized fruits and causes 

 them to drop. It may develop also after 

 they are packed. 



"The fruit first begins to soften and 

 skin a little at the stem end, without 

 the rind changing color. There is no 

 blackening nor molding at first, and the 

 softened peel remains intact over the 



softened interior. The softening pro- 

 ceeds inward along the fibers of the 

 rag, and then outward into the pulp cells. 



"This rotting or softening is quite 

 different from the well-known citrus 

 fruit-rots, due to the withertip fungus, 

 the rim becoming darkened in brown 

 sunken spots before the inside of the 

 fruit is injured, if it is injured at all. 



"In the rotting of the citrus fruits due 

 to the Penicillium fungi, or molds, as 

 they are usually called, a softening takes 

 place, but it is not confined to the stem 

 end. A moldy odor is perceptible; and, 

 as the rotting progresses, a green or 

 blue mat of fungus spores is produced." 



Charcoal kiln in Cuba, nearly ready for firing. The heap contains about 100 cords of hardwood. 

 Mango is most largely used._ After covering the pile with 8 to 10 inches of earth it is fired and then 

 carefully_ watched day and night for 10 days or two weeks. When smoke no longer appears, com- 

 bustion is complete. Charcoal is the universal fuel in Cuba, so the product commands a ready sale 

 at good prices. 



