BLACKBERRY PEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 243, 13 September 1932, Page 10

BLACKBERRY PEST.

METHOD OF ERADICATION.

AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. What is stated to be a disease that kills blackberry and has successfully cleared hundreds of acres in the Auckland province was described by Mr G. H. Hawkes, retired farmer, of Auckland, and formerly of ivaukapakapa. Mr Hawkes said he first knew of the disease when it appeared at Wainui, between Ivaukapakapa and Waiwora, five or six years.ago. It appeared like a yellow powder or fungus on the backs of the leaves of the plant and was easily brushed off. It spread very quickly and worked its ways into the district known as Horseshoe Bush, between Dairy Flat and Kaukapakapa. Hundreds of acres of blackberry in each district were destroyed.

About two or three years pgo, said Mr Hawkes, he brought some infected leaves to Auckland. Some were spread on blackberry-infested land near St. Stephen’s School. Bombay, some on an area near St. John’s College, and some on land at Papatoetoe. In each ease the disease spread rapidly, and to-day the blackberry had practically disappeared. “The disease is introduced to healthy patches simply by dropping a few affected leaves on each clump, just about the time they are in fruit. It is surprising how quickly it spreads, and when once the disease takes hold you cannot get it out. I have never heard of it attacking anything but blackberry.” An officer of the Department of Agriculture, to whom the matter was referred the other day, said that judging by the description, the disease was tho same one that had been reported to the department from time to time. He personally recalled a case of what apparently was the same disease that occurred in the Waikato about 10 years ago. Whether or not the plants died right out on that occasion he did not know.

Coincident with the reporting of blackberry disease, said the official, the department received letters expressing fear that if diseases were used as a means of eradication if might attack allied commercial plants, such as loganberry. The department was always keen to test any practical possibility of eradicating weeds and never let a chance go by. A bontanist to whom specimens of affected blackberry were submitted said something more definite than the specimens in their present state would be required before an opinion could be expressed on them. It would be necessary' to see the plants when the yellow powder made its appearance on them.