36 BITTER PIT INVESTIGATION. 



XI. RECORD OF RESULTS IN RELATION TO BITTER PIT FOR 

 FOUR YEARS IN SUCCESSION. 



It is a well-known fact that a variety may be subject to Bitter Pit under one set of conditions 

 and free or comparatively free in another, that it may vary in its susceptibility from year to year, 

 and that it is only after an experience of several years, the extent of its liability can be reasonably 

 determined in any given locality. 



In order to give practical demonstration of this, I have selected a hundred from the numerous 

 varieties of apples grown in the Burnley Horticultural Gardens, and shown the presence or absence 

 of Pit in each, during the four years covered by this investigation. In addition to this, in order to 

 make the list as instructive as possible, I have given the stock on which each variety is grafted, the 

 age of the tree, the date of full bloom, the ripening season of the fruit, and the yield (Appendix II.). 



Eleven of these varieties showed no signs of Pit, viz., Dougherty, Etowah, Frogmore Prolific, 

 Golden Reinette, Hoary Morning (English), Holding, Horn, Prince of Pippins, Ribston Pippin, Rose- 

 mary Russet, and White Winter Pearmaiii. 



Of these the fruit generally ripens medium to late, and they are on a variety of stocks. Some 

 are on Northern Spy stock, others on Paradise on Spy, and one (Dougherty) on Annie Elizabeth on 

 Spy, both of which stocks are very liable to Pit. 



While Dougherty was free from Pit for four years in succession at Burnley Gardens, a tree 

 growing at Ringwood, 15 miles from Melbourne, in rather damp soil, bore pitted fruit to the extent of 

 24 per cent. The fruit was picked on 31st May, when ripe (Figs. 31, 32). 



This variety was grafted on to Northern Spy stock, on Winter Majetin, growing on Spy roots, 

 about three years ago. It bore fruit for the first time this season, and of the 25 apples on the tree, 

 six were pitted. 



Groups. Although there is such an infinite variety among apples, yet when closely examined, 

 it is found that some have such a general resemblance among themselves, that they may be arranged 

 in types or groups. In this way we recognize a Northern Spy group, a Pomme de Neige or Fameuse 

 group, a Baldwin group, and so on. It is worth while enquiring if these resemblances to each other 

 also extend to their liability to Pit, and by taking those varieties which are grown under similar 

 conditions in the Burnley Gardens, a fair comparison may be made. 



The Northern Spy is seen to be pitted every year in succession, and Baldwin practically the 

 same, while Pomme de Neige was either free or only slightly pitted. 



Baldwin may be taken as the type of a variety liable to Pit, so much so that in America, Bitter 

 Pit is known as " The Baldwin Spot." It is thus described by Beach and others in The Apples of 

 New York: "The Baldwin Spot is the name given to brown flecks in the flesh of Baldwin apples. 

 This is not caused by either insects or fungi. It is a physiological defect, which is more apt to appear 

 in overgrown than in medium-sized fruit. No remedy is known." 



Belonging to this Baldwin group there is Tuft's Baldwin, Esopus Spitzenburg and Jonathan. 

 In the list of 100 varieties (Appendix II.) Baldwin and Tuft's Baldwin are badly pitted, while Esopus 

 Spitzenburg and Jonathan are only slightly so. So that the grouping of apples according to their 

 general resemblances is not always a guide to their pitting properties. 



Stocks. Every one of the 100 varieties listed in Appendix is on Spy stocks, some direct and 

 some with intermediate stocks, so that we cannot compare the results among themselves with other 

 stocks. But if the distribution of Pit is analyzed in the varieties on Spy stocks alone, of which there 

 are 17, it is found that four are free, six are very slight to slight, and seven are bad to very bad with 

 Pit. 



The general evidence, therefore, does not favour the view that the stock influences the Pit, 

 but that the nature of the scion is the determining factor. 



