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BITTER PIT INVESTIGATION. 



In South Australia very few are able to state the effect of manuring from experience. 

 " Ploughed in green stuff, no effect ; stable manure, an ill effect ; bone-dust, lime, and washing- 

 soda, a beneficial effect." "Manures have an effect upon the disease, particularly organic and 

 nitrogenous, which stimulate wood growth. Phosphates are the safest fertilizers." 



In Western Australia very little manuring is done. " Have found very little Pit in 

 Shockleys, even when a light crop, when field peas have been ploughed in for green manure." 

 " Excess of manure, especially green manure, has a bad effect." Lime has been applied, with 

 and without beneficial results. 



In Tasmania it is generally stated that heavy manuring increases disease, but one replies 

 — " We found, by using stable manure and artificial, and leaving more lateral growths, Pit 

 disappeared." Green manuring is also well spoken of. "I ploughed in 40 acres of peas last 

 spring, and the crop was certainly better as regards Pit." Lime has been used in a number of 

 cases, but generally without any appreciable effect. 



EFFECT OF DRAINAGE UPON DISEASE. 



^ The effect of drainage is regarded by some as of no consequence, and by others as the 

 principal cause. "Iam convinced that deficient drainage is one of the prime factors in causing 

 the disease." " Where land is thoroughly drained the disease is not so prevalent." " I have 

 found Bitter Pit very bad in the Cleopatra in a dry situation." 



As regards drainage in New South Wales, it is considered to be beneficial. " The trees 

 that had Bitter Pit were on low land, while the same kind of apple on higher land was sound." 



In South Australia opinions are divided, but it is generally considered that " the better 

 drained, the less Pit." 



In Western Australia the general opinion is that want of drainage aggravates the disease. 

 " Cleopatra worse where damp." 



In Tasmania there is an impression that good drainage lessens the disease, but, as one puts 

 it—" It is found that disease is present in well-drained and badly-drained orchards." 



INFLUENCE OF MODE OF CULTIVATION ON DISEASE. 



There is a very general impression that cultivation increases the Pit, and some even state that 

 " the better the cultivation the worse the Pit." In Victoria the preponderance of opinion is that 

 cultivation has no influence on the disease, but a large number consider that cultivation has a 

 tendency to increase the trouble. Only one states that " well cultivated land will lessen the 

 prevalence," but the others make such remarks as " found those in grass without cultivation the 

 freest," and " I have noticed trees not cultivated do not produce so much affected fruit as trees that 

 are cultivated." 



In New South Wales it is mostly considered that cultivation has no influence on the disease, 

 and the only one who thought differently remarked, " Anything that makes the tree vigorous 

 increases the Bitter Pit." 



In South Australia opinion is about equally divided as to whether cultivation influences the 

 disease or not. "Disease worse in well cultivated soil." "As a rule good cultivation tends to 

 increase Pit, but under certain conditions it may have just the opposite effect." 



In Western Australia there is a general opinion that too much cultivation encourages it, but 

 one considers that good cultivation " keeps disease in check," and another that " early cultivation 

 appears to lessen the disease." 



In Tasmania it is generally considered to influence the disease, although it must be taken in 

 connexion with other factors. "Its influence depends upon other circumstances— pruning, 

 manuring, class of soil, &c." " I have seen pit with high cultivation, and in neglected orchards also." 



