RAVAGES OF FIREBLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 92, 12 January 1921, Page 5

RAVAGES OF FIREBLIGHT

VIEWS OF A SCIENTIST. By Telegrapn—Preus Association. Nelson, January 11.

A “Mail” reporter drew the attention of Dr. Tillyard, of the Cawthron Institute, to some interesting remarks mado by the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Public Health) 011 the subject of fireblight, in which Dr. Tillyard’s name was mentioned. Mr. Parr was reported to have said: “It was extraordinary that scientists had not discovered a cure for fireblight. He hoped that experts like Dr. Tillyard and the Government entomologists and bacteriologists would give their unremitting attention to the question of discovering a remedy for the pest.” Dr. Tillyard made the following statement:—

“Numbers of able American scientific men have attempted for many years to find a cure for fireblight. As it is a bacteriological disease, it is no more surprising to find that no cure has been found for it than that, no cure has been discovered for tuberculosis. Precautions can be taken against such a disease, and the more stringently precautions are applied the more probable is it that the ravages of the dir-ease will be reduced to a minimum. Methods likely to be effective are quick notification of the disease, quick destruction of the affected trees, ana destruction or control of the alternative host plants, such as hawthorn. The first two of ’these presents no difficultyother than the organisation of a sufficient force of well-trained officers and rhe keen co-operation of orchardists. With regard to the third method, the crux of the whole problem in New Zealand appears to be the control of the hawthorn hedge. The danger of tho hawthorn hedge from the fruitgrowers’ standpoint has already been pointed out in a series of articles which will shortly be published as pamphlets." Dr. Tillyard added that he did not regard himself as a skilled bacteriologist, and could not attempt to find a remedy for a bacterial