FIREBLIGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 109, 19 February 1929, Page 2

FIREBLIGHT

THE KAIKOURA OUTBREAK. HOPES OF ERADICATION. (Special to the "Guardian.") CHRISTOHURCH, Feb. 18. Mr L Paynter, of the Agricultural Department, made a complete survey of the whole of the Kaikoura district last week. He says that, apart from the hawthorn hedge, where the infection was first discovered, only three points of minor infection were found. All the infections were in hawthorns—] there was not a single instance of a fruit tree being infected The owner of the hawthorn hedge which was concerned had acted very well, indeed and was cutting the hedge down and having: it burned. . _ In regard to future activities, Mr Paynter urges that anyone who suspects an outbreak of fireblight, in pear trees particularly, should communicate immediately with the orchard instructor for the district. He was quite satisfied :that the average observer would not pick it up in the hawthorn. Many samples of infected trees had been sent in but in nearly all the cases the trouble was the leech or pear slug, Which attacks pears, cherry and plum trees. In fireblight the leaves are-al-ways black, not brown—that was the destructive feature. Mr Paynter said that he had hopes of eradicating the infection His opinion was "that fireblight could not become so bad in the South Island as l in the North. Infection took place during October and November, and it was necessary that the climatic conditions should be moist and warm. Ine two months in the South were more bracing than in the "North. , Mr Paynter left this afternoon on a tour of inspection of the South Canterbury commercial areas, and will visit the Geraldine. Timaru. and Waimate districts.