FRUIT FLY IN AUCKLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 109, 31 January 1908, Page 2

FRUIT FLY IN AUCKLAND.

. t DISQUIETINC NEWS. ORCHARDS QUARANTINED The most serious news of 'tho'season l is the' outbreak of; fruit-fly: near - ; Auckland; )v''- 1 "'- Hitherto the. Auckland proVince' liiis been immune from the 'fruit-fly- pest, ,'which has' played such havoc in Australia," and: which, attacked Hastings and Blenheim last season. This week, however,' the discovery waSi'made' that the Mediterranean .fruit-fly ■ had)' made its appearance at Devonport. It was reported by a Devonport resident that he suspected the maggot, of the 'fruit-fly )in ''some -nectar-, uies. Imtaediate investigation confirmed 1 the suspicion that the "maggot, .was • that ' of- the: fruit-fly.' The 'infected area is a small garden' at Stanley Point. A small' nectarine tree, : loaded wjth' fruit, was found to be ;infected;the ripe fruit being impregnated with :.mag-, gots. A "house to house'! inspection,was at once made by Mr. Boucher and his assistants,', and except in ' v this' : one instance it -is ■felt certain . .that other 'orchards .in. the' loc'a-; lity 'are, so far; exempt. A strict: watch .is nevertheless - being kept ' rightalong / the water frontage, and all orchards and gardens in the Chelsea, Devonport, Northcote, "and Birkenhead districtß::.will -be fuuder rigid- inspection. The- fruit in the orchard in ,which tne present'outbreak is located will be taken' over bjf'tho Department. Tho nectarine tree which is' so largely infested will-, be. treated in a; similar' manner to those at' Hastings, the fruit being picked, as it ripens 'arid .destroyed.) Every effort will' be made' to) prevent the spread of the pestj. and Mr. Boucher is liopeful of stamping it out as completely as he appears to have done! in Hawke's Bay. ''There is no cause for the least alarm," said Mr. Boucher, to a Press representative, "as the garden an which tho infection lias been) discovered is almost -isolated from the largo) residential suburb of Devonport, and thero : are no orchards of any extent within a distance of some miles.., Tho; few«fruit trees' in'the immediate vicinity may : snow infection; but the isolation-bf the'locality generally from/ a fruit : standpoint will, - probably enablo the infection;to:bo confined , to that:particular locality.'-'-! It is difficult to . determine) whether this Outbreak- originated from infection imported last season 'or .from .-infested", fruit, of the pre : Sent season. The fruit-fly-is reputed to- be : very-erratic, in the; length 'of /its., "winter" sleep,Vand while one maggot, might go down to hibernate for;six. or nine months, another, might spring ujp agajn to daylight in a couple of weeks. At the time of the Hawkfe's Bay and Marlborough scares of last season, those most competent to know the fly's habits and the most likely spots for. it 'to becomo es-. .tablisherl,- kept a watchful. and very, anxious eye oil. the, city and suburbs of : Auckland. In all ' prohahility the present outbreak is merely,a continuation ,of an outbreak of last season that was -not detected;. Tho silence in Auckland last season on the : fruit-fly invasion was a:very' ominous silence. It is to be ferr vently hoped that the Pomologist's cheerful view of the situation- will be justified. ..