MAKERUA SWAMP PEST

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 9, 11 January 1923, Page 2

MAKERUA SWAMP PEST

"YiliOW LEAF" REDUCES FIAX

OUTPUT,,

Some idea of-the inroads of,the "yellow leaf" on the great flax-producing area ih-the Makerua Swamp, passed by all.travellers on the Main Trunk line, ■may. be gathered from the drastip reduction that has taken place in the number of strippers operating at the milla. Sei- • fert's big mill, at Mironui, is running J two in the place of nine; Te Mukunui, " two, covering an area that waa occupied by Ashlea, two, and Tokomaxu, two j "Wh-tanui, three, carrying on Poplar, two; Aker's mill, none, where ten were formerly running; Craw's, none, where three were formerly at work. This contraction in milling represents not only reduced production in the most extensive flax-growing area of the Dominion, bvuy a severe curtailment of men employed in the 1, industry, although, as to \employ-, merit j the men have gone into other oc-\' cupations that were formerly engaged in the flax-milling industry. The ravages.'; of the disease above referred to have put large areas.of land out of flax, and diverted their use to dairying; but the high rates and land taxation combined prevent landholders of swamp sections going yin for a series of experiments in combatting the disease, for in the nature of things such experiments take a con-; siderable time, and may spread over * years. The market price for flax in Lou-; don and elsewhere is satisfactory at pre-; sent, so far as it goes; but the more or; less speculative character of the market,' in the opinion of those engaged, in the industry, is against, long-continued ex-, periments „in fighting "yellow leaf," V while the infected flax lands are carrying their present rates and taxes; or, on the other hand, of converting them into fully,; improved lands for general fanning purposes. ■ ;.'• ':_ : i' ■;■ . ■ ■■. ' Investigations info the cause and pre-■ vention of the disease are being conducted'at Makerua Swamp by Mr. Smerle, who has been engaged for the purpose. It is undei:stood that he is inclined to attribute the disease to the flax being cut too close to the roots of the plant. This, it is said, weakens' the resistance. of the plant to attacks of disease. ...He . proposes that cutting should be higher above the root than is usual, and only the outer leaves should be cut. In this case a crop would be available every two years, and so compensate for the higher cost of cutting. It remains to be seen whether this is commercially practicable.