DISEASED TREES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17251, 19 August 1916, Page 14

DISEASED TREES.

- ROOT-KNOT IN IAI PORTED CONSIGNMENTS. There is some feeling amongst local importers of fruit trees on n‘count of a practice sanctioned by the Agricultural Department, under which trees affected with the bacterial disease known as root-knot arc liable to be planted. Early this year Air T. W. Kiric, Director of the Horticultural Division of, the Department, issued a circular containing a very emphatic statement that if any trees affected with the disease were found in an imported consignment tho whole consignment must be immediately reshipped to the port from which they came or be destroyed. •' On no account,” he stated, " will any consignment in which such trees aro found bo delivered to the importer.” In tho face of this circular tho Department now, evidently, is following the very policy its officer strongly condemns. It is condemning trees found to be infected with the disease, but is allowing other trees in the same consignment to pass into the hands of growers simply because the disease is not visible. The futility of this policy is denounced on the grounds that tho disease, frequently, is present when there aro not outward signs of 'it- In proof of this a young tree was brought ' into the “Lyttelton Times ” office last night. Its roots had been attacked by tho disease, but it was sent from Otago to Canterbury. This season, it is stated, 30,000 trees have boon condemned on the AYclli.'.gton wharves, 11,000 at Dunedin, and 13,000 are at tho Christchurch Railway Station. It scams to he certain that imported trees passed by the Department’s inspectors last season have developed signs of the disease after they were, planted in Otago. Tho Department in "Wellington _ has been communicated with on the subject, but the reply received was indefinite. It is felt that tho whole eon si caiman t should bo condemned and destroyed, and that this is the only proper course under the Government’s regulations.

Mr J. Longton, managing director of the New Zealand Fruit Growers' Federation, stated last night that tho Department had asked his advice on the question, and he had replied stating 'that the conference, of 3915 was strongly opposed to any consignment in which the disease was known to occur being lauded in the Dominion. Ho strongly recommended that, the regulations should he strictly enforced, and pointed out that if the infected trees were destroyed it is not too. late to replace them this season with ethers.