134 REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF THE 
IL PEACH! ROT GOLD SORA. 
The most severe and common decay of mature peaches is caused 
by Sclerotinia fructigena (brown rot). Since peaches are fre- 
quently put in commercial cold storage warehouses it was thought 
advisable to have some data regarding the behavior of this fungus 
in the temperature of the storage house. 
Pure cultures of the fungus were secured by making dilution cul- 
tures with material from naturally infected fruit. 
The varieties of peaches used were Iron Mountain, Floss and 
Hunt. A quantity of the fruit was secured and one-half of each 
variety inoculated by injecting some of the fungus from the pure 
culture beneath the skin. The other fruits were inoculated by con- 
tact which was done by first rolling them over paper moistened with 
distilled water and then over a quantity of the spores secured from 
several natural infections. 
Immediately after the inoculations were made the fruits were 
taken by messenger to a commercial cold storage house in which the 
temiperature was held at 32° F. 
At the end of two weeks all of the fruits were removed and ex- 
amined. Of those inoculated by puncture the conditions were as 
follows: Iron Mountain, 65 per ct. of fruits showed decayed spot 
Y% inch or less in diameter at the point of inoculation, 35 per ct. 
were entirely sound; Floss, 81 per ct. of the fruits showed decayed 
spot 34 inch or less at point of inoculation, 19 per ct. were entirely 
sound; Hunt, 56 per ct. showed decayed spot ™% inch or less at 
point of inoculation, 44 per ct. were entirely sound. The condi- 
tion of some average specimens of these fruits is shown in Plate V. 
None of the fruits inoculated by contact showed any decay at 
the end of two weeks. 
When the fruits were taken out of cold storage they were kept 
in a room where the temperature was rather low, so the decay did 
not develop rapidly. But at the end of ten’days the fruits inocu- 
lated by puncture were all decayed. Those inoculated by contact 
were as follows: Iron Mountain, all of the fruits decayed; Floss, 71 
per ct. decayed, 29 per ct. sound; Hunt, 80 per ct. decayed, 20 per 
ct. sound. The condition of some of these fruits is shown in Plate 
Wal. 
These results indicate that the development of the brown rot in 
peaches is practically checked while the fruit is in commercial cold 
storage, even though the fungus can enter the fruit through a break 
