GUARDING THE ORCHARDS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13112, 11 May 1908, Page 6

GUARDING THE ORCHARDS.

In view of the latest information from New South Wales as to tho ravages of the fruit fly, tho New Zealand Government is acting quite rightly in taking tho strictest precautions against tho admission of infected fruit into tho Dominion. Tho recent regulation requiring with each consignment of oranges or lemons from New South Wales, <a certificate, to tho effect that tho fruit has not been grown within a mile of any spot infested with the fruit-fly, has aroused the resentment of Australian fruit-growers, ard the Now South Wales Minister of Agriculture has suggested that it should bo quite sufficient if a certificate is given that no fruit-fly is present in a shipment. As Mr McNab pointed out to our representative the other day, such a certificate, even if it could bo given., would bo quite useless, because the chief danger fo New Zealand lies in tho fruit in which the fly has deposited its eggs. This infection can often not bo detected at tho time, nor, apparently, in some cases until after the fruit has passed tho inspectors at New Zealand ports. The certificate now required by the New Zealand Government does not, of course, givo absolute protection, but it is an additional precaution, and, assuming that the Minister has had export advice in deciding that fruit grown more than a mile of an infected orchard may be sent here, it is an entirely justifiable one. Mr McNab accepted the hostility to his new regulation as proof that New South Wales growers hive been unable to combat tho fly, and h© is probably right. A prominent Sydney journal declares that the eradication of tho fly is tho most serious problem fruit growers thore'havo to solve. Its ravages have increased to such an alarming extent that if effective steps are not taken soon', fruit growing will' be a thing of tho past. Stringent legislation, providing for the destruction of the fly has been passed, hut owing to "tho absence of any penalties for the " evasion of its most necessary provi- " sions and tho want of efficient inspection," it is seemingly of little use. Many fruit growers in the Cumberland district of New South Wales, whence comes much of tho fruit wo draw from the State, neglect to observe tho provisions of tho Act, and thus help the spread of tho pest. All i_fected fruit should bo burned —boiling is said to be no use—yet some growers content themselves with ourying it, and..others throw it to their fowls. If the Now South Wales fruit growers wero to make a united, determined effort to oradicato tho fly they might vet succeed, in spite of all tho encouragement it has received, but as long as the present unsatisfactory conditions exist they cannot complain if New Zealand takes sitriot measures to protect herself.