December 27, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE ANn COTTaOE GARDENER. 
583 
and its effects are variable. On the leaves it causes them to become 
brown, curl up more or less and fall prematurely. The disease first 
appears as discoloured spots, Fig. 99 J., on a leaf.* These spots (a) 
enlarge by the growth of the mycelium in the tissues of the leaves, and 
Fig. 100.—Section (D) through pustule on fruit, showing fungus discharging spores 
at p, enlarged 130 diameters. Mature form (E) of G-loeosporium frnctigenum and 
tendril-like (F) outgrowths, both magnified 640 diameters. 
soon extend to the whole surface. Through the epidermis minute 
bodies are pushed here and there, in pustule form, which bear on their 
apices club-like bodies (^B), the conidial stage of the fungus, each of 
which breaking off and alighting on a succulent leaf or fruit of the 
Pear, or other suitable host plant, germinates in the presence of moisture 
pierces the epidermis by its germinal tube and passes into the interior, 
traversing the intercellular spaces, and by suction derives its support 
from the cells, which become slightly depressed at the point of attack. 
From the mycelium similar bodies may be pushed, such as those 
figured, which are enlarged 260 diameters; but on a fruit (fig. 101 C, 
natural size) the invasion generally does not proceed beyond a depressed 
spot (d), the appearance being that of a wound from a hailstone, and the 
tissue there is hard and gritty. The fungus has been arrested in its 
progress, confined for the time being to the affected part, and the flesh 
swells all over the fruit but there. The hole in the fruit shown is half 
an inch deep. But the fungus can wait, the staying horse always wins, 
the cells of the fruit will sooner or later cease swelling, then the fungus 
pushes mycelial threads without opposition through the tissue, and 
these penetrate the fruit to its core. The mycelium seizes on the pips 
or seeds, abstracts their substance, and thus energised throws out fruit¬ 
bearing branches, which appear as small blackish pustules scattered over 
the surface of the Pear, and rot-spots form such as those shown at 
the apex of the fruit. A seed destroyed by the fungoid filaments is 
shown at e, and another, apparently sound, possessed by the mycelium 
of the fungus is represented at/. The fruit weighed 8 ozs., and, barring 
the fungus, an excellent table specimen, it was brown externally and 
the flesh discoloured. The cells were run together, the fungal threads 
having fermented the intercellular spaces, and it was totally unfit 
for use. 
A section through a small pustule, enlarged 130 diameters, is 
pourtrayed in fig. 100, at D. The spores ooze out in tendril-like form, 
and are very minute (<7) ; Ji, epidermal cells ; i, internal cells; j, 
intercellular spaces. A piece of a pustule enlarged 540 diameters is 
shown at B, and a later stage at F, k, representing two fallen (teleuto) 
spores. 
There is no cure for fruits diseased with Gloeosporium fructigenum. 
All infested fruits must be burned. To throw them on the rubbish 
heap, or feed the birds with them, is only to save the “ seed ” for another 
year, or scatter them far and wide. Prevention is feasible. First of all 
remove all fallen leaves and damaged or dropped fruit, and when all 
• The spots this year were very abnormal and much run together, also on the fruit, 
which showed very few brown spots, but the white patches were very conspicuous. 
Both the leaf and fruit figures represent the affection this year on the Pear. On 
another occasion I will endeavour to show the characteristic attack and effects of this 
fungus on the Apple tree leaves and fruit.—G. A. 
the leaves are down syringe the trees and wall with bisulphide of calcium, 
made by putting 1 lb. of flowers of sulphur and 1 lb. of freshly slaked 
lime in an iron pot, and pouring on the mixture 6 pints of water, mixing 
thoroughly, and boiling for ten minutes, keeping stirred all the time. 
Allow the mixture to settle, pour off the clear liquid into a stone bottle, 
and keep in a dark place well corked. Use a pint to 3 gallons of rain 
water. This only when the trees are leafless. In the spring, when the 
leaves are forming, the shoots being about 2 inches long, syringe with 
half a pint to 3 gallons of water, but spraying is far preferable, as an 
overdose may damage the tender foliage, but the solution can be made 
weaker so as not damage it. Repeat two or three times at intervals of 
a fortnight if wet weather, or three weeks if the season be dry. Sulphide 
of potassium, 1 oz. to a gallon of water, may be used in winter, or half an 
ounce to a gallon in summer, instead of the calcium bisulphide. Either 
will kill the spores, and neither are poisonous. 
Bordeaux mixture is a most effective preventive. Pear foliage, 
however, is very susceptible to injury from copper sulphate, and the 
mixture must only be used at half strength, avoiding altogether 
ammoniacal carbonate of copper solutions, which injure the foliage of 
Apples and Pears severely in our climate. Two or three early sprayings 
are usually sufficient, care being taken not to apply the mixture too 
strong, which should be guarded against by experimenting on imma¬ 
terial growths before treating those of consequence with it. 
To aid the trees is no mean part in thwarting parasites. The chief 
wants of the Pear are potash, phosphoric acid and lime. Potash may 
be applied in sulphate form or as carbonate. Kainit is the cheapest 
form, but it is liable to promote yellowness in the foliage, possibly due 
to the chlorides, yet fungi hate chlorine, chloride of iron being one of 
the most drastic of all applications for fungi, and it adheres far better 
than any other. Perhaps somebody may like to experiment with it, say 
^ per cent, solution = 1 oz. to 5 gallons of water, and 1 should like to 
know what fungus it will not kill. Kainit is useful in forming silicates, 
and they cannot possibly injure but aid the plant against its fungoid 
enemies, 2 ozs. per square yard being a sufficient dressing. Basic slag 
phosphate supplies both phosphoric acid and lime, 4 ozs, per square yard 
being an extra dressing, yet not too much. These should be applied 
this autumn to give results next year, also lime, a peck per rod, which 
Fig. 101 .—Doyenno du Comice Pear (C) infested with Bitter Rot fungus, natural size. 
is desirable when the soil contains much organic matter. Quick-acting 
manures should be applied early in the spring, the advertised fertilisers 
acting promptly, and contain all the essentials of plant nutrition. 
Otherwise use bone superphosphate 3 parts, nitrate of potash (powdered) 
2 parts, and sulphate of lime (ground) 1 part, all quite dry, mixed, and 
applied at the rate of 4 ozs. per square yard when the trees commence 
growing in the spring, leaving the rains or waterings to wash in,— 
G. Abbey. 
