CATERPILLARS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1933, Page 7

CATERPILLARS

COPING WITH PEST CHRISTCHURCH, October 9. The possibility of killing the caterpillars at Eenuarves, with a chain stripper, will be invested to-day by Mr. R. McGillivray, superintendent ol the Fields Division of tile Department of Agriculture Christchurch, and W. G. Hiil.er, <n \Asiiiburton. Providing the weather is warm and the pests are on the move it is considered that the chains on the fans of the machine will beat the caterpillars to death and any that escape will be taken into tho drum of the machine.

Interest in the ravages of the pest has been far-reaching, and during the last week numbers of farmers and others interested in agricultural activities have visited the area affected. The activities 01 the caterpillars, which consumed about four acres or young wheat on the farm of Mr W. Beatty, were checked by two furrows each six inches to seven inches deep, ploughed the full length of the paddock. Thousands tumbled into the rows, and were crushed with tile wheels of a motor-car run up and down the ful'rows, while others changed their course on meeting the break in the surface of the paddock. Favoured by tire nor’-west wind on Friday, Mr Beatty, assisted by neighbours, burnt off 40 acres of rough growth on a pad dock of 60 acres and as a result it considered that 90 per cent of the cater pillars which were on the move were destroyed.

A new "brood” has been discovered in the paddock of the origin of the first horde, the latest arrivals being located close up to a gorse fence. The destruction of the fence as a means of checking their progress is being considered..