EIRE BLIGHT

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 24

EIRE BLIGHT

METHODS TO COMBAT THE DISEASE. NELSON, January 11. A Mail reporter drew the attention of Dr Tiliyard, of the Cawthrpn Institute, to some interesting remarks made by Mr C. J. Parr (Minister of Public Health) on the subject of fire blight, in which Dr Tillyard’s name was mentioned. Mr Parr was reported to have said: ‘‘lt was extraordinary that scientists had not discovered a euro for fire blight. I hope experts like Dr Tiliyard and the Government entomologists Sind bacteriologists will give their unremitring attention to the question of discovering a remedy for the pest.” Dr Tiliyard made the following statement :—“Numbers of able American scientific men. have attempted for many years to find a cure for fire blight. As it is a bacteriological disease, it is no more surprising to find that no cure has been found for it than that no cure has been discovered for tuberculosis. Precautions can be taken against such diseases, and the more stringently precautions are applied the more probable is it that the ravages of the disease will be reduced to a minimum. The mtffhods likely to be effective are quick notification of the disease, and quick destruction, or * the control of alternative host plants such as hawthorn The first two of these presents no difficulty other than the organisation of a sufficient force of welltrained officers and the keen co-operation of orchardists. With regard to the third method, the crux of the whole problem in New Zealand appears to be the control of hawthorn hedges. The danger of a hawthorn hedge, from the fruitgrowers’ standpoint, has already been pointed out in a series of articles which will shortly be published as pamphlets.” Dr Tiliyard added that ho did not regard himself as a skilled bacteriologist, and could not attempt to find a remedy for a bacterial disease. A SERIOUS MENACE. UTMOST VIGILANCE NEEDED. Tire seriousness of the fire-blight menace to the dominion was stressed by Mr W. K. Dallas, Government orchard instructor, in an address given by him to the members of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association on Saturday evening (states the Lyttelton Times). The only treatment, said Mr Dallas, was to burn all infected trees. If the matter were “tinkered” with the disease would spread throughout the whole dominion. If the best brains in America, where the disease was prevalent, could not find a remedy to check its ravages, what chance had we in New Zealand? The great danger was that the disease would become established in New Zealand, and affect all our native trees and shrubs. At present Auckland was the only province affected, and in order to prevent the blight spreading south a protective belt, five miles wide, was suggested, extending from Kawhia Harbour to just south of Gisborne This would not be a very expensive matter, as only a few' isolated groups of trees would have" to be removed. It was only a matter of time and the disease would appear in Canterbury. Just how lone it would be he ould not say, but it was practically certain it. would reach here. It must be detected on its first appearance, and preparations made to fight it, or all our trees would be affected. The only way to keep the disease out was by vigilance and organisation, as 'had been done in certain ureas in America. Mr Dallas suggested that tho association should set up a fire-blight protection committee, as had been done in Auckland. This committee could co-operate with the departmental officers. Honorary inspectors should be appointed, who would' keep watch in various districts. By this means all trees wculd be inspected from time to time. “My. advice to you,” said Mr Dallas, in 3 conclusion, ‘ is organise and keep it out.”