EVIDENCE FROM THESE tests showed that a single fruit decayed by Rhizopus arrhizus, and placed into a no. 10 can of healthy fruit before canning resulted in total disintegration of healthy fruit during six months' storage at room temperature. Addition of a single Rhizopus stolonifer decayed fruit also resulted in significant softening within a six-month period in fruit from one out of three orchards. There was little change in rating of fruit after nine months' storage, but in one treatment 48% of the good Tilton fruit showed initiation of softening, with flesh starting to disintegrate, and soft to the touch.