FRUIT DISEASE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 2

FRUIT DISEASE

FIRE BLIGHT CONTROLLED. ORCHARDS SYSTEMATICALLY IN- ' ' SPBCTED. The situation in regard to fire blight la stated by Mir J. W. Collard, orchard histrUctor, bd be ivcll ill hand. Recently a lettei>was received by the Farmers’ Onion front d tfesideht of Hokianga, inquiring what , steps were being takfen tb combat the disease. This letter was fof-uai-wed to tho Orchard Division of the Department at' Auckland, by the executive .of the union, and a reply was received that vigilance committees had been formed ahd temporary inspectors appointed, with a view to making a thorough inspection of the orchards in thb Auckland district; It bias stated also that the furthest north the infection had been identified bras Werkworth. Eleven temporary inspectors have been appointed. this week in the area from the Wnikfitb district northward, and a systematic 'inspection as being made of the whole urea where infection has been identified. Each.man is given a certain district to cover, add it .is the intention of the department to mate in inspection of every frdtt tree doming within the infected area, from the Commercial br. uiafd to the private owner, who perhaps. hfett Only bnfe or two trees in his garden. Tlife inspection hill ,alsb include the Auckland City and sUbUtbß, which in partj lias already been carried but. If the disease call be efficiently dealt with during the next .five or six weeks, while' the leaves are still on the trees, and 'detection is possible, there is a. jpossibiMty that it inav be eradicated. The tfesk : hoWevef, is a big bne, and it will not he khbwn till the coming spring whether the efforts Of. thb department hare been successful or otherwise. Meantime everything possible is being dofie bt’thfe Auckland branch of the Orchard Dirt; sion.