THE PRINCIPAL P'lSEASES II5 



fruit in the form of circular black spots with granular 

 surface, and with fine concentric rings at the margins. 

 It spreads rapidly, even after the fruit is picked; and 

 when it is first seen the time for fighting the disease 

 has usually gone by. 



Like all the other true fungous diseases the bitter rot 

 can be controlled by bordeaux mixture if applications 

 are timely and thorough. The regular program of 

 spraying — that is, three applications of bordeaux in 

 spring — will serve to check the bitter rot, and in some 

 seasons will afford sufficient protection. This disease 

 has been very thoroughly studied at the Illinois experi- 

 ment station, and Prof. J. C. Blair gives the following 

 advice as to its treatment : 



"I. In addition to the three early sprayings for apple 

 scab and codling moth make applications of bordeaux 

 at intervals of ten days, commencing the third week in 

 June, making the final application on the date of the 

 first discovery of bitter rot. In case bitter rot fails to 

 appear before the first of August, the applications 

 should be continued up to the end of July, making in 

 all four to five applications. In most seasons three 

 sprayings with standard bordeaux mixture, one ap- 

 plied the last week in June and the two following at 

 intervals of ten days, are sufficient to control the dis- 

 ease, but on account of the irregularity in the time 

 of infection in different seasons, this practice is not 

 wholly safe and the extra treatments are recommended 

 as a wise precaution. 



" 2. In case the precautionary sprayings above 

 recommended are not given, the most thorough spray- 

 ings to coat the fruit completely with bordeaux mix- 

 ture should be made immediately upon the first 

 discovery of an. infected apple. Failure to spray 

 promptly at this time will result, in a season favorable 



