. Cottony rot of lemons in California. ubstance, perhaps anenzyme, that has the power of softening the tissue of a healthy lemonand so prepares the way for the mycelium to enter. When the diseaseonce becomes started in a half box of lemons, almost every lemon soonbecomes infected and the decay often spreads upward and downward,extending through the entire stack of fruit. Workers in the packinghouse have the idea that the drip from the rotting of the fruit into the box containing sound fruit beneath,has much to do with the spread ofthe fungus through the stack offruit. This has never been defi-
. Cottony rot of lemons in California. ubstance, perhaps anenzyme, that has the power of softening the tissue of a healthy lemonand so prepares the way for the mycelium to enter. When the diseaseonce becomes started in a half box of lemons, almost every lemon soonbecomes infected and the decay often spreads upward and downward,extending through the entire stack of fruit. Workers in the packinghouse have the idea that the drip from the rotting of the fruit into the box containing sound fruit beneath,has much to do with the spread ofthe fungus through the stack offruit. This has never been defi-nitely proved, but without questionthe mycelium does grow throughthe open spaces in the bottom ofthe boxes to sound fruit below. Care should be exercised in thehandling of contact fruit; that is,fruit that has been touching cot-tony rot decay. This will be con-sidered in detail later under con-trol methods. In most respectsthe treatment is similar to thatrecommended for brown rot, andwith this most packing house work-ers are Fig. 3.—Section showing how thespores are produced in long sacks orasci that form the spore-bearing sur-face of the f angus. Seed-Bed Infection.—The cottony rot is not regarded as a seriousdisease of citrus seed-bed stock. It has, however, been found occasion-ally attacking sour and sweet orange seedlings. The shaded moistcondition of the seed bed covered with lath or burlap, gives ideal con-ditions for the fungus to thrive. The disease usually shows in smallpatches of six to a dozen trees. It is thought to gain entrance intosound tissue by starting as a saprophyte on weakened or fallen leavesthat are in close contact with healthy leaves or stems. Trees in theseed bed often grow very close together. Seedlings iy2 to 3 feet highhave been found to be attacked, although there is no reason why thosesmaller or larger might not be infected as easily. COTTONY ROT OF LEMONS IN CALIFORNIA 241 Nursery Infection.—The disease only rarely does any marke
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