FIREBLIGHT PREVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19986, 30 June 1928, Page 12

FIREBLIGHT PREVENTION.

CUTTING HAWTHORN HEDGES WARNING TO LANDOWNERS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES. Friday. A warning to landowners to cut and trim hawthorn hedges between June I and July 31 is given by Mr. P. Everett, Government orchard instructor, who recalls the severe losses to Thames fruitgrowers last year through the spread of firebliglit, which is "fostered in hawthorn hedges and trees. lii this connection landowners with single hawthorn trees complain of undue attention from the department, which they say ignores long hedges of hawthorn on more distant holdings.

Dealing with this point Mr. Everett says it is admitted that all hawthorn in the Thames area has not been prevented from flowering. Most of tho unmmmed hawthorn is on unoccupied Crown and native land, lie says, and all efforts made hitherto to have this hawthorn dealt with have been unsuccessful, with tho lcsult that the provisions of the Act have not been so strictly enforced on other hawI horn owners as otherwise would ha\e I,con the case. The Minister of Agriculture has now approved of a monetary "rant lor- the destruction of hawthorn on unoccupied areas, and with the completion of this" work the provisions of the Fireblight Act will be strictly enforced.