EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED WITH A VIEW TO CONTROLLING DISEASE. 45 



In summarizing these results, it has to be borne in mind that these manurial experiments 

 have been undertaken to see the effect of certain manures or combination of manures on the develop- 

 ment of Bitter Pit, and incidentally on the yield. 



If the final year of bearing (1914) be taken as the standard, as one in which there had been 

 a good average crop, after the manures had been applied for three years in succession, it is found 

 that the amount of Pit is comparatively small, the highest being 12 per cent., and the lowest 6 per cent. 

 Whereas, in the off season of 1913, when the crops were exceedingly light, the amount of Pit reached 

 up to 63 per cent., and the lowest was 25 per cent. 



If we compare the amount of Pit in 1914 in the various plots, it is found that the highest was 

 in plot 3, where kainit replaced sulphate of potash in a complete fertilizer, and the lowest was in three 

 plots equally, viz., 1, 7, and 8, consisting of a complete fertilizer, a complete fertilizer without ammonia, 

 and a complete fertilizer without potash respectively. 



The unmanured plot was next to the highest in the amount of Pit. The largest crop was 

 produced in plot 1, with a complete fertilizer ; and the lowest in plot 5, which was the check plot 

 and unmanured. 



If the average is taken for the three years during which the trees bore, the unmanured plot 

 had the highest percentage of Pit, and the lowest was in plot 7, with superphosphate and sulphate of 

 potash. 



The highest average yield was in plot 1, with a complete fertilizer, and the lowest in plot 8, 

 with superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia. 



A complete fertilizer generally produces the largest crop, and the least amount of Pit occurs with 

 a complete fertilizer without ammonia. The lowest yield was in plot 8, with superphosphate and ammonia; 

 and the greatest percentage of Pit in plot 2, with special bonedust added to the complete fertilizer. The 

 unmanured plot had absolutely the greatest amount of Pit. 



2. Ax GOVERNMENT FARM, BATHTTRST, NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The experiments have now been continued for four years in succession, and the fertilizers 

 should have produced their full effect. 



The orchard comprises 41 acres, of which 35 were planted in 1896, and the Cleopatra trees used 

 in the experiment are now about 19 years old. The manure was applied on 28th July, 1914, and the 

 fruit was gathered from llth to 23rd March, 1915. 



The rainfall for the past year was 22 inches, and as the average for the past 54 years is 23 

 inches, it may be considered satisfactory. In the early spring the rainfall was comparatively light, 

 and early frosts occurred 12 degrees on the 26th, and 9 degrees on the 27th September. On account 

 of its earliness the crop was not affected. Early in the year the season was too dry to mature the crop 

 properly, so that the fruit was generally of medium size. 



TABLE XVIII. MANURIAL EXPERIMENTS WITH CLEOPATRA APPLE TREES AT 

 BATHURST EXPERIMENT FARM SEASON 1914-15. 



Plot 



No. 



Manure. 



1 Check no manure 



Tree. Sound Fruit. Pitted Fruit. Total. 



Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. 



143 26 169 



106 9 115 



212 7 219 



127 9 136 



222 32 254 



70 10 80 



Total .. 880 93 973 



Average ..146-66 15-5 162-16 



Per cent. Pitted. 



15-38 



7-82 



3-19 



6-61 

 12-59 

 12-50 



9-56 



