The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-09-17
THE APPLE BITTER ROT.
Its Occurrence and the Estimat-
ed Damage-Cause and Treat
ment.

ed Damage Cause and Treat
ment.
Prof. F. L. Stevens, biologist
of the North Carolina Agricultur-
al Experiment Station at West
Raleigh, in a recent press bulletin
gives the following valuable in
formation about the apple bitter
rot:
Occurrencein North Carolina.
This disease occurs in very de-
structive form throughout the
Piedmont and eastern sections OF
the State, though it is possibly
less destructive further west. In
a recent trip through the middle
section of the State, the writer
saw dozens of orchards ruined by
this rot which, but for the pres
ence of it, would have yielded
largely. In many of the orchards
visited, the trees were in fine
condition, showing suitability Of
soil and climate, and they bore
an abundance of fruit, but closer
examination showed that the
ground under the trees was COM
pleteIy covered with rotten APP
pies and that the apples still on
the trees had numerous specks of
soft, brown rot. In many villages
and towns all apples offered for
sale in stores were effected with
this rot.
The facts as stated above show
the very destructive prevalence
of the disease in this State.
This rot has been known in de
structive form in the United
States since 1867. 1t is estimated
to have done 81, 500, 900 of dam
age in four counties in Illinois in
1900. In the Middle States the
losses are estimated to be from
one-half to three-fourths of the
entire crop. The president Of the
National Apple Shippers Associa-
ton estimated the damage in the
United States in 1900 at $40, OO0, =
600.
Description of the Bitter Rot. -
There are many different types
of apple rot: some are hard, some
soft, some wet, some dry, some
of one color and some another,
etc. The bitter rot of the apple,
sometimes called the ripe rot, is
a soft, wet, yellow rot, occurring
usually as circular spots on the
fruit. These spots, of which
there may be from one to twenty
or more on each apple, enlarge
rapidly, run together, and the
whole fruit becomes a soft, rotten
mass. The disease usually be-
gins while the fruit is still hang.
ing on the tree, and as the dis.
ease progresses, many of the ap.
pies fall to the ground below.
Cause of the Rot. This rot is
caused by a fungus, known as
Gl9osporium, the spores Of which
fall upon the apple, grow, pene
trate it, and cause the decay
The spores are produced in i'm
mense quantities in small pus
tules, which appear upon the rot
ted surface. In many instances
the fungus passes the winter il
cankered spots on the twigs ant
bark.
Treatment. There are tw
forms of treatment, both o
which should be followed.
First, inasmuch as the fungu
is known to winter in the canke
on the branches, it is importan
when the leaves are off the tree
to carefully inspect the orchard
hunt out these cankers, cut the1
out and burn them, and thus re
move the most dangerous sourc
of spring infection.
Second, the trees should b
sprayed with Bordeaux Mixter
in order to kill all spores whic
fall upon the fruit or twig
Sprayings should be applied b,
fore the buds begin to swell
the spring, just after the bio
SONS fall, and every ten or fou
teen days thereafter until tt
fruit is almost ripe.
These two treatments combine
will, to a very large extent, SER
to control this very serious di
ease.