FIRE-BLIGHT RAVAGES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17634, 11 December 1922, Page 4

FIRE-BLIGHT RAVAGES.

A SERIOUS DISEASE. The matter of fire-blight is again occupying the attention of the Horticultural Department. Fire-blight, for some reason, is very .much worse in. soma years than in others. The first two seasons in which it made its appearance were evidently favourable, but last year proved a mild one as far as the ravages of this orchard-man's scourge is concerned. iire-bhgnt, wnich commences with tne blossoms, ana attaojts mainly apple, paar and quince trees, takes two or tiiree weeks to mature, destroying the crop, the leaves and fruit ahmeilmg up, «n<t then in soma cases passes down tne tree, destroying branches, and some young trees have been killed within a very short time. The mildness of last season, however, was such that groweTs were not convinced, fn the lace of contrary advice from outside the Horticultural Department, that the disease was such a serious une. This year, however, has proved a favourable season for the disease, which has made great strides, on Friday Air J. Campbell, Director of Horticulture, told a 'lsew Zealand Times." representative that it was fuliy fifty per cent, more prevalent than last year. Its activity, which is considerable, 13 mainly with the area previously infected, and has caused a great stir among fruitgrowers who axe now convinced of the grave nature of ths disease.

There will be certain losses each year in fruit-growing districts; hut those losses will be in accordance with the amount of work and caro which a man has put into his land, and it is within the powers of a number of fruitgrowers in any district to do much to protect their trees and crops. Any neglect, however, even by only one man, may Tesult in the destruction of a, crop. "Under an Act of last session the Department now has the power to enforce the destruction of hawthorn in the affected districts, or to cut it hack and prevent it blossoming. Fire-blirht is a notifiable disease and penalties may be inflicted for failure to notify it. It k certain that the empowering Act has not been put through too soon.