New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STaTIon. 405 
ance which is commonly called “scald.” It is not caused by any 
fungus. Jones® has made some investigations Concerning the cause 
of scald. The following account is based on his reports. 
Description.— The scald first appears as a hght brownish tinge 
of the skin either in fairly well defined spots or more or less dif- 
fused. The discolored areas enlarge with more or less rapidity 
coalescing until the entire surface of the apple may be involved. 
At the same time the color changes from a lighter to a darker 
brown shade and usually terminates in a black rot. At the begin- 
ning of the trouble the flesh appears sound, the discoloration in- 
volving only the outer cells of the fruit. Afterwards, the flesh 
also becomes discolored and is finally invaded, in most cases, by 
some fungus, but the primary cause of the scald cannot be attrib- 
uted to any fungus or other parasite. 
It appears certain that the primary cause of the scald is to be 
found in climatic and orchard conditions, the conditions of the 
storehouse being secondary. The fruit which is grown and 
matured under favorable conditions can be carried through the 
normal season of keeping for fruit of that variety without the 
appearance of the scald. If grown under unfavorable conditions 
the fruit requires very careful attention to the temperature and 
perhaps other store-room conditions if it is kept for any length of 
time without scalding. 
SOOTY BLOTCH. 
(Phyllachora pomigena (Schw.) Sace.) 
Description, etc.—In wet seasons and especially in damp, shady 
situations, apples are subject to the attacks of the fungus which 
causes sooty blotches on the fruit. These blotches are sooty- 
black, circular, and measure from one-fourth to one-half an inch 
in diameter. Frequently the blotches coalesce, giving the fruit 
a sooty, dirty appearance. 
\ 
8 Jones, L. R. Vt. Agr. Exp. Sta. Ann. Rept. 1896-1897: 55-59 and 1897- 
1898: 198. 
