8 APPLE BLOTCH IN SOUTHERN ORCHARDS. 



by this disease. From these observations it was estimated that the 

 loss to the growers in this county alone amounted to $950,000. The 

 disease was even worse in 1907, and although the crop was lighter the 

 higher price of apples made the loss about the same as in the previous 

 year. In 1908 the loss from the disease was immaterial, owing to the 

 failure of the apple crop; however, the few apples that were pro- 

 duced were as badly affected with the disease as were those in the 

 previous two years. 



An examination made by one of the writers of orchards at various 

 points in southern Kentucky and in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama 

 showed that the disease was very destructive in those localities. Not 

 only was the fruit of susceptible varieties rendered unfit for market, 

 but the trees themselves were badly weakened by the cankers. On 

 account of the disease the growing of several, varieties well adapted to 

 the locality has been practically discontinued. In certain sections of 

 Alabama and Georgia the Ben Davis, Red Astrachan, Shockley, and 

 Yates varieties, which formerly did well, have in recent years been 

 almost a complete failure, owing apparently to attacks of this disease. 



It appears, therefore, that apple blotch is the most destructive 

 disease of the southern half of the apple belt. Occasionally bitter- 

 rot, as in the year 1900, overshadows all other diseases in destructive- 

 ness, but taken year by year apple blotch is more serious. Fortunately 

 the disease is amenable to treatment and can not gain a foothold in 

 well-sprayed orchards. It is not sporadic in its nature and must 

 accumulate on the twigs several years before a serious outbreak on 

 the fruit can occur. 



The disease as it appears on the fruit was first reported in 1902 by 

 Clinton, a who attributed it to an undescribed species of Phyllosticta. 

 In 1903 it was reported by Faurot b as occurring to a serious extent in 

 southern Missouri, and in 1906 Crandall, c in connection with his 

 work on liquid versus dust spraying, mentioned a disease which may 

 have been the same thing. Scott and Quaintance,^ in 1907, gave a 

 detailed description of the disease on the fruit and the results of its 

 successful control by spraying. Later in the same year Rolfs e pub- 

 lished a description, with recommendations for its treatment. 



The relation of twig cankers and leaf-spots \o the fruit blotch 

 was first reported by the writers f in 1907. Almost simultaneously 



a Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 69, pp. 190-192, plate B, 

 fig. 1, a, b, and c. 



b Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, Bulletin 6, pp. 7-8. 



c Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 106, pp. 217-218. 



^U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 283, pp. 14-18, fig. 2. 



e Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station, Bulletin 16, p. 5. 



f Proceedings of the Benton County (Arkansas) Horticultural Society, August 

 8, 1907. 



144 



