DISEASES SUPERFICIALLY RESEMBLING BITTER PIT. \\ 



portion of one side of the apple, but when closely looked into it is interspersed with green patches. 

 On removal of the skin (Fig. 22) the flesh beneath was found affected in isolated patches and in large 

 brown irregular masses. 



The conditions under which this specimen was found throw light upon its occurrence. Among 

 the numerous Jonathan trees (800) in Mr. Hatfield's orchard it was very hard to find a specimen of 

 Pit or "crinkle." But as there was one tree in the collection, which had been severely cut back on 

 account of the poor growth it had been making, in an undrained portion of the orchard, I went straight 

 to it with the expectation of finding what I wanted, and was not disappointed. This is undoubtedly 

 the worst example of "crinkle" observed in the Jonathan apple. 



III. DISEASES SUPERFICIALLY RESEMBLING BITTER PIT. 



There are quite a number of spot diseases of the apple, and some of them have been confounded 

 with Bitter Pit. Only two need be mentioned, as having attracted the attention of orchardists and 

 likely to cause confusion in Australia. 



One of these has been rather prevalent in some districts during the past season, and has been 

 termed "surface Pit." It has been found only on the Jonathan apple in Australia, but in America 

 the same disease occurs on other varieties as well, although it is so common on Jonathan that it has 

 received the name of "Jonathan Spot." 



The other consists of spots caused by the decay set up where insects have pierced the fruit, and 

 has been called Stigmonose. 



JONATHAN SPOT. 



This is the name given to very shallow black or brown spots in the skin of the apple. The spots 

 may be small and isolated and slightly depressed, but generally they form superficial dark blotches 

 which run together into patches of varying size. The blotches usually extend all over the calyx 

 end and middle of the fruit, while the stem end is comparatively free. 



If the discoloured skin is carefully removed from the underlying flesh, it is seen to be purely a 

 skin disease, since there is no browning of the pulp-cells immediately beneath, or any change in their 

 texture. The disease is thus seen to be quite distinct from that of Bitter Pit, which is an internal 

 disease, first affecting the pulp-cells beneath the skin and causing their discoloration (Fig. 30). 



NAME OF THE DISEASE. 



There are so many "spot diseases" of the apple, that it is no wonder they are often confused, 

 and this confusion is often the cause of remedies being applied, where the nature of the disease does not 

 warrant them. There is "Black Spot," or "Scab," and "Fruit Spot," both due to well-known fungi, 

 and capable of being controlled by spraying with fungicides. But in some parts of the United States 

 orchardists have sprayed extensively for "Bitter Pit," following the directions for "Fruit Spot," 

 although the latter is a different disease altogether. 



"Jonathan Spot" is the name generally applied to this disease in America, but since this particular 

 variety of fruit is not the only one subject to it, the name is to some extent misleading. The term 

 "Freckles" has also been suggested, but it has not met with general acceptance. 



In Australia, it is often referred to as "Surface Pit," but, being confined to the skin, there is no 

 scientific justification for the name. It is also called "Cool Store Spot," but, as shown below, it is 

 not confined to cold storage conditions. 



While it would be very desirable to get away altogether from the use of the term ''spot," it is 

 not easy to suggest a better, and so, with all its imperfections, it may be retained. 



