MAINE APPLE DISEASES. 367 



isolated from decaying apples, and have been found to cause 

 decay of both green and ripe apples. These have been grown 

 in pure culture from one to two years and show such differences 

 in cultural characteristics as to make it seem probable that they 

 are different species. One of these bears considerable resemb- 

 lance to F. putrcfacicns Osterwalder, but does not seem to be 

 identical. One of the others has been found to cause not only 

 a decay of apples but to cause decay of parts of a number of 

 other plants. Its occurrence on one of which at least practically 

 insures the presence of spores of this fungus at the time when 

 the infection of the apple would take place. 



No special recommendations can be made for the control of 

 these apple rots at this time. In a general way it may be said 

 that the same methods which apply in the case of the well known 

 apple decays will probably go far toward the prevention of loss 

 from these fungi. 



Vcrticillinm decay. In 1908, a fungus was isolated from ap- 

 ples and tested by means of inoculations which, while it does not 

 seem to be of very common occurrence, causes a distinct decay 

 of both green and ripe apples on inoculation. This fungus 

 spreads through the tissues of ripe apples at as rapid a rate as 

 Pcnicillimn but it produces a very different effect. The diseased 

 portion is not soft but is rather hard and the affected apple keeps 

 its normal shape for some time. The decayed tissue has an 

 odor and taste which is characteristic and rather pleasant, not 

 unlike that of dried cocoanut. Cultures of the fungus on prune 

 agar give the same odor. 



The causal fungus grows readily and spreads rapidly in plates 

 of prune agar. It produces large quantities of spores. The 

 masses of spores are white when young but become green with 

 age. On the basis of the spores and of the manner in which they 

 are borne in culture this fungus has been classified as a species 

 of Vciticillinm. It is possible that this fungus, which is capable 

 of causing a distinct decay, may be responsible for a part of the 

 rot which is attributed to other fungi for when apples were in- 

 oculated with it, the fungus did not break out on the surface and 

 produce spores. 



Endoniyccs decay. In Bulletin 178 of this Station a new spe- 

 cies of Endomyces is described which was found to cause a de- 

 cay of ripe apples but which did not attack green fruit. This 



