THE FRUIT FLY. ITS INTRODUCTION AND ITS POSSIBILITIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 148, 19 December 1907, Page 4

THE FRUIT FLY. ITS INTRODUCTION AND ITS POSSIBILITIES.

.WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE - . - DONE. Do our orchardists— and particularly thosV people owning orchards containing »nly a few fruit-trees— realise the subtle and blighting influences of the worst of all fruit pests, the Mediterranean fruitfly? From- time to time reference has been made in the columns of Th© Post to the efforts made by the Biological .Division^of" the Department of Agriculture to cope with the pest since its presence .■was first detected by l\tr. T. W. Kirk in 1898, when examining fruit on the Avemngton Wharf. The" maggot of the fly was found' in a consignment of ninety cases of peaches, and- from thesis •Mr. Kirk reared the perfect flies of the Mediterranean species in his office. The Hies thus reared were placed in a wire gauze cage, and fresh' fruit placed with, them. In two days they were depositing egga on the fruit, and in twenty-nine days from these eggs there emerged perfect- flies. This experiment was repeated each year ; yet thero were many persona wh> maintained that the fly coulu not withstand the New Zealand climate. DANGERS POINTED OUT. As far back as 1897, Mr. Kirk, after his' visit to Australia, and a careful . examination of the damage done s by the' maggots of -the fruit-flies recommended.' that the imputation of any fruit infected by any species of fruit-fly should be totally prohibited. "Although," declarod^Mr-. Mi v X in .his report, "'I should be sorry • to~ see anything • done which .would' 'check- the free interchange' of colonial fruit, believing as I do that only by this mean? will the fruit • industries of- Australasia reach thteir fullest development, yet I must most strongly urge- that- at least .the fruit-flicS be placed on the same. fooling as the codlin-inoth, and ,t,h& importation of fruit infested .with eit-her- of- thorn-' totally prohibited." No -fruit- is inTMune from the xavages of this blighting pest. In 1905 Mr. Kirk- pointed out -that its introduction into * New Zealand meant "the ruin of the stone* fruit industry in the N°rth," and' that "tho measures to keep it out of New Zealand" could not ' be too severe." ' " REVOKING REGULATIONS. And what wjis done? Regulations vreie- made providing for the inspection and-destructioc of fruit where thought, necessary. Unfortunately, the efforts of importers to 's-recre a relaxation o"f the regulations were- succeEsful, and instructions were given to allow th© imported fruit . condemned at Auckland to be j sorted over. We have it from the published report of Mr. Kirk, himself, that "in October of 1 last," year »- very large consignment, of fruit containing maggot's was distributed from Auckland, and leached' various parts' of tlie colony. Directly this was discovered - officers we're despatched to trace this fruit, 'and'j ■whenever possibla to seize and burn it. ..TKey .showed great zeal, and the department" is gi'catly indebted to the fruit-vendors fpr the prompt and willing assistance rendered. Tho horticultural offipefs.were instructed to make, the most careful inspection possible of orchards, and 40- let this work take precedence of all "other. This renxtered it necessary to curtail the ordinary visits of instruction and inspection." THE PEST SPREADS. "In epite of this energetic action, small quantities' gofc into consumption, and the infested fruit wfcre- naturally thrown away by householders. The result, was that later od m tho season, during energetic inspection, Mediterranean fruit-flics were found breeding in peaches in several small gardens on the Hill at Napier, and in both peaches and tomatoes near Blenheim, in the South .Island. "All infested fruit found was destroy!ed, and tho ground, under the trees or where infested lonxttoes had grown was ! seVßrh'l"trmes eprayed with kerosene. ! The same treatment" was followed later ; in the season with a garden at Napier, t where oranges' on a single tree were ' found attacked. Tho inspection has ; been so strict that, as no- other attacks ; have been" discovei-sd, it is reasonable to 1 hope the pest has, been controlled. This, however, _ canriot' be ascertained with certainty" till n«xt. fruit season. 'JJjßs^disi.t.e"Jy. Ji. ,wj;s .ascertained that maggot-infested fruit had been passed at Auckland, the Hon the Minister directed that 1 the" Old arrangements be lesutne^ — viz., |har. on. discovery of infection the whole of tlie cases under that mark bs immediately burned. This has been strictly enforced." The. whole life-cycle of the fruit fly (it lias bsen demons'Srated by experiments) undar ordinary conditions, is one month.- •In the winter, however, Mr. Kirk has sjki the insects remain in the chrysalis sfage for seven months and thetr einer£-3.' Mr. T. F. Dreyer, 8.A., assistanC.to-th'fe entomologist ai> the Cape of Gcod Hqup, Ivts stated that the fruit fly, despite tho serious losses vhich it inflicfs "on fruit-growers, and the consequent constant attentions of economic •ut&molbgifti, is still one of tho pests vhich can be controlled only to a very slight;, cxlen*. l3i?f«fly aiter the friirfc-fly was discovered -in Ofttobsr Jar.t, the Minister for Agculture, i'Cilising the necessity for stricter ijrecar.tions, instructed iho officers of iis depa "iPient to 50 hack to the old procedure, .ibolish the '"pkadnsj-over" of • infested ernjsignments from outside, and to destroy ail consignments in which iniested fruit was discovered. This practice is still jbeinj; follow^. Victoria. ' and South. Australia, have , passed most strinpent reg-plations to cope ' .with the pest. It" is provided, for instance,'that where fruit is being .exported,- ifc has to be picked for seven days before it cc'n be despatched to its destination. In the meantime, ifc is examined by an inspector^ for any traces of the fly,* and he" certifies accordingly. The name of the grower* has to be plainly printed both- inside and outside the packing case. When • the fruit reaches its destination, it is again inspected (in the case of Victoria and South Australia)^ by another officer. If, on arrival, any" of the consignment is found to be . infested," the orchard from whence it - came is quarantined, and no more fruit , can be sold or exported from that par- : tieular orchard until a Government inspector has certified that- it is free from ' the pest. • NEW REGULATIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION. 'A Post reporter to-day enquired from Mr, Kirk what the Government intended doing here . in the direction of enforcing drastic regulations to cope .with the pest. "In reply," said Mr. Kirk, "I can only state — without giving any definite indication— that certain improvements and important alterations in the existing regulations have been drawn up, and these "are no* under .the consideration of the, Minister. "It was only in a small , orchard on the. Hill at' Napier," he continued, ".and outside Blenheim, that the pesfc was discovered. A careful inspection was made ekswhere., .We bslieva the advance of the pest has been stopped, but we will not he abte J&j|««rtai9J3#&kXS& : p&L

the present season is well advanced. In the meantime a strict watch is being kept." t\vo sister industries. At tho present time it is worthy of note that the' importation of gropes is absolutely prohibited, and that even cuttings' of vines are only allowed to come 'into 'this 1 country under the very strictest supervision. Now the area under vines in New Zealand last year was returned at 654' acres. The area, comprised in the orchards throughout the colony was 27,515 acres. This will give some indication of the relative value of tho two industries, and the question naturally arises : Is it not right and proper .that 'the fruit-growing industry should be protected by regulations equally as drastic as those' imposed in the interest of grape-growing ? The fruit-growing industry, although it lias" already assumed fairly large proportions, is really only in its iivfaticy and adequate protection must be insisted on. ABOUT PRICES. i It may be argued that the enforcement of strict protection would result in raising the price of fruit to the consumer. This -need nob- necessarily be so. In the past it has been found that inspection and strict precautions to guard against danger have not resulted in any 'increase in prices,, and what is of more value : the consumer has Keen provided with a better article. From enquiries made, it seems clear that the commer cial orchards are not affected by the pest. It is in respect of the small orchards and mere fruit gardens that the danger particularly lies. Ifc is urged that in tlie light of what has happened in thfe past, in the light of what may occur in the future, it is incumbent on the authorities to institute drastic regulations arid- to insist on the prohibition of the importation of fruit from countries where the fruit-fly is known to exist? • 1