DESTRUCTION OF FRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 7

DESTRUCTION OF FRUIT.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —It was with a good deal of surprise as well as gratification, that I read the letter of "your correspondent signing himself "Sufferer." Surprise— in that the owner of the private orchard mentioned should consider himself exempt from the provisions of the Orchard Pests Act, simply because he did not possess many trees, or for the reason* that, after producing infected apples, he had given directions that the peelings should be burned, under the impression no doubt that moth, like beauty, was only skin deep. The gratification .was caused from the knowledge gained, that the Department's inspector was looking up some of the many moth hatcheries in his district, which have for too long a time been a menace to the commercial fruitgrower. Trees that are not sprayed will always be a breeding place for codlin moth and 6cale insecte, the former being liable to bo carried long distances by the wind, and j the scale, in ono stage of its existence, adhering to the feet of birds, therefore is is surely a somewhat selfish view that your correspondent takes of the matter, especially when one considers tho amount of money and labour expended annually in endeavouring to combat these and other orchard peats. The revenue dorived, from the exportation of fruit will undoubtedly in ..the near future surpass the returns derived from any other New Zealand industry,' therefore, sir, I consider that tho Department's inspector is not engaged in "paltry meddling," but in tho performance of his duty is doing a very necessary and much needed work.—l