A New Appre Rot. 
7 
these cases that the fungus was not the cause of the cracking, but 
merely gained a foothold in the wound. Other wounds in the fruit, 
such as those caused by the larvae of the codling moth, are fre¬ 
quently the point of attack of this fungus. 
The rotting due to this fungus is usually not so rapid as that 
caused by some of the soft rot fungi. Hence, fruit that is already 
affected by the Alternaria in some cases succumbs to some of the 
more rapidly working rots which not infrequently seem to follow 
it. The affected tissue is not greatly softened by this fungus, but 
by drying out finally changes to a shrivelled dark brown mass simi¬ 
lar to that produced by the mummifying effects of the brown rot of 
stone fruits. 
In many cases, however, no external evidence of the presence 
of the fungus is noticeable until the apple is cut through when the 
core cavity is found to be blackened or discolored. In the majority 
of such cases the parchment-like lining of the seed cavity is the only 
part showing the discoloration which, in mild cases, appears in the 
form of brownish or blackish streaks or stains. The seeds, too, are 
usually coated with a dark colored growth of the mycelium. In 
badly affected specimens, however, the seed cavity is nearly filled with 
fungous threads, while the discoloration extends into the surrounding 
flesh of the fruit to a greater or less extent. 
This invasion of the core by the fungus appears to be most 
common in certain varieties of the apple, among which the Wine 
Sap is especially subject to this form of attack. And in the worst 
cases this variety shows some eyidence of the presence of the 
blackened core by a slightly contracted appearance and yellowed 
color of the blossom end. Fruit which is of good size and normal 
depth of color seems usually to indicate freedom from this condition 
of the core, while fruit of small size with unusually light or dark 
color is frequently found to be affected. 
The reason why certain varieties of the apple are particularly 
subject to the blackened seed cavity is found in a structural peculiar¬ 
ity of such varieties. Thus a longitudinal section through such an 
apple usually shows a very deep calyx tube, which, in many cases, 
extends to or meets the core, or even opens into it. In such cases 
the fungus has evidently reached the core through this passageway 
by following the united styles and the inner wall of the calyx tube. 
(See Plate I and III). 
ON THE PEAR. 
In the case of the pear, the fungus has been found on fruit, 
leaves, and young sprouts at base of the tree. The fruit seems 
liable to attack at almost any point, in observed cases the stems being 
frequently blackened and the surface spotted irregularly. In the 
