FRUIT. A DANGEROUS PEST.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 141, 15 June 1906, Page 6

FRUIT. A DANGEROUS PEST.

Replying to a charge taat consign ments of imported citrus fiuit, said to be affected by the Queensland fruit fly maggot, hay« been indiscriminately destroyed, Mr. Kirk (Government Biologis>t) says that, at present, tho sorting of magfjot-infested Jniit is not peimittcd cither in South \ustrulia, West Australia. Tasmania, New South Wales, or New Zealand In- Queen^ljnd, where the maggot is worst, sortin-j-ovcr is allowed, under strict supervision, but, of course, the pest is widely distributed there. Overh-iulirn is also .'ilo.\ E d in Victoru, but for the past two \e n, attempts have been made- to eef the law altered. There are strong reason? for m.ikin.' vigorous effort-) for the exclusion of the pest from New Zealand, uddß Mr Kirk.' The particular lines mentioned recently were very badly infested indeed. As many as fifteen infested oranges wen, found in v single case. Every one in Australia and South Africa who has had experience with the fly urges the immediate destruction ot whole lines of fruit, directly they are discovered to be affected. The pest has a predilection for etone fruits, apples, and pears ; it, has only a secondary liking for citius fruits. Therefore Ne«' Zealand has to be very vigilant in order to conseive its fruit industry Regarding the contention that New Zealand's climate is too rigorous to suffer the maggot to fl6urish, Mr. Kirk submits that the pest established itself at Launceeton, Tasmania, and required very drastic measures for its exteniiiuation. Moreover, experiment had shown that the maggot would be able to- weather the winter in the northern parts of Zealand at least, for out of twenty oranges placed in a cold store for A3 hours, at a temperature of 32 degrees, nine maggots were taken alive when the fruit was removed. Questioned about the Cook Islands, Mr. Kirk remarked that these were part of the colony of New Zealand and did not come under the law relating to imported fruit. Consignments from these possestions were picked over, but it must ht, remembered that there was very little maggot in the Cook Islands. Dealing with another aspect, the Biologist mentioned that the only bad fruit now ulloued to be ie-s!iipped \\<us the L-oJlin-moth apple, and thought that regulation Mould be altered. Thi-, fruit had to be returned in tho fiist direct steamer outwjaids, and could not be put aboard coastal vessels.

Entries for the twenty-fourth annual chow of tho Wellington Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Society finally close at 10 p.m. 10-morrow (Saturday). Since the schedule left the printer's hand a number of special prizes have been handed in, and allotted to the following: — Black Orpington cockerel, Light Brahma hen, Andalufiians, Black Orpington cock, Rosccomb Bantams, Black Orpington pullet, Golden Wyandottc hen, Golden Wyandotte pullet, and, India Runner ducks. Two additional trophies go to the pigeon section, and one to canaries. Fanciers aie notified that entries will bo received ut tho oflico of the National Insurance Company, Cus-tomhouse-quay, or ,with Mr. W. E. Lanojr, llichmond-»treot, Petone, or msj be posted direct to the eccretary.