FIRE BLIGHT

Otago Witness, Issue 3448, 13 April 1920, Page 28

FIRE BLIGHT

COMMERCIAL ORCHARDS INFECTED. (From Ouh Own Correspondent. 5 AUCKLAND, April 5. : The reported infection of orchards Jn the Auckland district by the fire blight disease has led to an inspection being'mad© by officers of the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture of many orchards in districts adjacent to Auckland to locate any evidence of disease _ on pip fruit. In several instances suspicious indications were discovered and specimens were forwarded to the biological laboratory at Wellington for identification. Reports received at the Auckland office of the department state that some of the specimens have been identified as fire blight. This is the first indication that the pest has invaded the commercial fruit-growing area of the Auckland district, and the matter is regarded seriously by officials of the department. American authorities state that fire blight is mainly a spring infection, but in the Auckland district warm _ autumn rains sometimes give spring conditions, and it is essential that precautions should be taken against the disease even at this .season. It is emphasised by officers of the department that where the_ disease exists its presence is evidenced by either dead twigs, water roots, laterals, or in some cases leaders in some parts of the tree, and for this reason infection can be more easily detected when the leaves are still adhering to the trees. The desirability, therefore, of immediate inspection for infection from the disease is quite evident. In this respect the services of orchardists willing to undertake the work of inspection will be of' great assistance. The department is offering to defray out-of-pocket expenses for such work. It. is stated that the infection in this district apparently is as yet only slight.