54 BITTER PIT INVESTIGATION. 



It is a peculiarity of this tree, and some even consider it a hereditary quality, that it produces a 

 ribbed and fluted trunk, and the branches are twisted and deformed. It is noticeable in each of these 

 young trees on their own roots that there is no appearance of wrinkling, and the branches are regular 

 without any twisting. 



Magg's Seedling. There are three trees of this variety, and all are growing well. They have 

 reached an average height of three feet. 



Winter Majetin. There are two trees of this variety, one growing remarkably well, and the other 

 not so far advanced. The average height is about three feet. 



(5) CRAB STOCKS. The stocks used for apples belong to two groups, standard and dwarfing 

 stocks, and in each of these groups there are several more or less distinct forms. We are only concerned 

 here with the standard stocks. For standard trees there are at least two kinds of stocks : those grown 

 from seeds of wild apples and seedlings of cultivated varieties. They are both derived from the common 

 apple, Pyrus mains. The Crab stock should be derived from the Wild Crab apple, but, as a matter of 

 fact, many trees are sent out by nurserymen as being on the Crab stock while they are really on the 

 so-called "free" stock, i.e., stock raised from pips of any sort of apples. The necessity for and import- 

 ance of studying the Wild Crab apple in its relation to Bitter Pit, both as a stock and a cross with 

 cultivated varieties, and also for pollination, was recognized at the outset of this investigation. In 

 order to make certain that the seedlings used were from wild trees, I had pips sent out from Britain. 

 Stocks of the Wild Crab apple were sent at the same time, and both arrived here in good condition 

 during May, 1916. 



The seeds were planted in a cold frame, and one of the young seedlings is shown in Fig. 70. 



The seedlings were planted out on 18th October, and should be of sufficient size for budding and 

 grafting next season. The stocks were kept in the nursery, and planted out on 6th July. A Wild Crab 

 apple fruited in these gardens years ago, but it was rooted out. Although not blight-proof, there was 

 very little Woolly Aphis upon it. 



The Crab stocks were supplied by the Royal Nurseries, Sheffield, England, and the Managing 

 Director writes as follows : "With reference to your query as to the Wild Crab stock being blight- 

 proof, we should say not. The Northern Spy stock you mention is not vised in Britain. The Wild 

 Crab stock is in favour here for standard orchard trees." 



12. INFLUENCE OF STOCK ON SCION AS REGARDS PIT AT CAMPBELL'S CREEK, VICTORIA. 



This experiment was designed to test the effect of grafting from a tree badly affected with Bitter 

 Pit on to a tree of the same variety which had never produced Pit, and the reverse. Two varieties 

 of pear tree were found fulfilling these conditions, viz., Josephine and Winter Nelis, and they were 

 grown on seedling stocks. In one orchard two Josephine pear trees were selected. The one bore 

 badly pitted fruit, although otherwise perfectly healthy ; and the other, planted at the same time in 

 the same row, had never been known to produce pitted fruit according to the orchardist, although 

 about eighteen years old. 



In another orchard adjoining, the variety Winter Nelis was selected. One tree was specially 

 liable to Pit, as in the year preceding the experiment it bore between three and four cases of fruit, 

 and every pear was pitted. The second tree in another portion of the orchard had never produced 

 pitted fruit. The grafting was done in September, 1912, when the buds were swelling, and was more 

 or less successful in every instance. This was the first season in which fruit was produced on any of 

 the grafts, with the exception of two pears on No. 2 Josephine graft in 1914, and the results are shown 

 in the following table of an examination made on 1st March, 1916, along with the Orchard Supervisor, 

 Mr. Cock ; 



