190 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONTENTION. 



The shipping experiments conducted at Lodi were accompanied by a 

 serias of local demonstrations, in order that the growers might be able 

 to see the results of the work. A refrigerator car was held at Lodi and 

 kept fully iced during the shipping season. A duplicate of every 

 series shipped to New York was placed in the car and held there until 

 the shipment arrived at destination. The lots were then taken out and 

 placed on exhibition, and the growers were thus enabled to observe the 

 differences found in the different packs. Along with these a number 

 of growers contributed crates from their commercial packs, in order to 

 be able to judge of their appearance on arrival and in some instances 

 to determine the kind of work their packers were doing. This cam- 

 paign of education among the workers has resulted in a marked general 

 improvement in the commercial pack of the district during the season 

 just closed when compared with the season of 1908. The first year 

 that the work was carried on it was not uncommon to find a large part 

 of the decay due to crushed berries on the top of the pack made in 

 pressing on the cover. During the last season this difficulty was largely 

 overcome by using more care in nailing on the covers and by extra 

 cleating. 



Our investigations during the past season show that there is at least 

 one mold which has the power, under certain conditions, to penetrate 

 the unbroken skin of the grape beriy. This is a species of Botrytis, 

 probably B. cinera, and is undoubtedly the cause of the so-called "slip- 

 skin" found after the rains. The "slip-skin" is the early stage of the 

 decay, and unless every berry showing this is culled out it will decay, 

 no matter how careful the handling may be done. This disease gives 

 very little trouble before the rains come, but after a rain the crops of 

 many vineyards are practically ruined by it. It is wholly distinct from 

 the cracking of the berries. 



It is easy to see that if there were few or no spores of the Botrytis 

 when the rain comes, there would be little or no trouble from this decay. 

 This is a pathological problem, and points to the control of the fungus 

 in the vineyard either b} r spraying or some other remedial treatment 

 of the vines. The life histoiw of this fungus on the vine has not been 

 fully investigated and until it is, it will be impossible to state the exact- 

 means for its control. This is a most important phase of the problem, 

 and if the work of the Bureau is continued in California we hope to 

 have a complete pathological study included in the investigations. 



In conclusion, it may be stated that the results obtained during the 

 past two seasons are very encouraging. The relation between handling 

 and the occurrence of decay is as striking and consistent as the results 

 of the orange investigations in southern California, which have led to 

 the practical elimination of decay in transit. The indications are that 

 by careful handling in packing, accompanied by some method of quick 

 shipment or cooling, the present losses from decay may be largely 

 avoided. (Applause.) 



MR. RIXFORD. I would like to ask the Professor a question. He 

 refers to an importation of the Almeria grape for distribution a good 

 many years ago. I think I was the introducer, about twenty-five years 

 ago. I had a large shipment distributed throughout the State? Do 

 you know how it turns out as a producer ? 



