Probably a disease called Bitter pit. Bramleys are very prone to this. It is casued by the trees inability to absorb Calcium. Hard to cure really as it is the tree which is at fault rather than the land. You can try putting lime into the soil round the tree, it sometimes helps. The other thing which fruit growers do is to spray the apple blossom with Calcium carbonate. This is done just after petal drop when the baby apple is just forming. Never tried that one myself though.

Thanks Owdboggy, but how do you spot it as it tends to be found on cutting the apple open?

If it gets it once then it is always likely to get it, especially in wet Summers and on sandy or well draining soils.

is it epsom salts you are supposed to give them or is that for something else?

?Constipation?

Amazing what you find when browsing aimlessly round GOY isn't it? After 3 years I just saw this and realised that the three members who were involved are still active on GOY and thought I would attempt to answer Pamg's question. Epsom salts (or rather, a weak solution of them) are given for magnesium deficiency. Plants only need it as a trace element, as do humans, but in plants the symptoms are usually yellowing of the leaves, particularly prevalent in magnolias, camelias, laurels etc. In humans a lack of magnesium usually, as Boggy says, leaves you rushing for the senna pods.

And to add to the thread. We had this problem with Ashmead's Kernel 2 years ago, I drilled holes round the tree where the feeding roots are, using a big crowbar. I filled them with Calcium carbonate and this year (2012 season)the apples were clean.

I gave it my tomatoes last year and it helped to green them up a bit

Never tried it for anything else though.......... ;0)

As most of you know for over 30 years I have used Epsom salts on my roses to stop them yellowing and also on other plants such as Clematis. My soil may contain nutrients but some plants find it difficult to access them in heavy clay. I put a handful around each plant twice a year and leave it just damp so that it can be absorbed slowly and not washed away.