THE QUEENSLAND FRUIT FLY.

Patea Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 674, 26 October 1906, Page 2

THE QUEENSLAND FRUIT FLY.

Oi pests and blights there seems ' to bo no end. No sooner do horticulturists or agriculturalists get the upper hand of some particular blight that has been doing damage to the trees or crops than along comes something else. A few years ago the codlin moth played havoc with orchards, but of late since the moth’s gentle ways have become known and since orchardists have taken to spraying regularly, it is not nearly so much dreaded. But there is every reason to fear that another scourge, beside which, in the opinion of Mr Kirk, the Government pomologist, the codlin moth is a fool, has arrived. Recent telegrams state that the Queensland fruit fly was introduced in some imported oranges and before it was detected shipments of the fruit had been distributed to different parts of the colony. The chances of preventing the introduction of this pest appear very remote, but possibly if drastic measures are taken its spread may be checked; And no steps can be too severe, for its establishment would mean the ruination of the stone fruit industry. (The pest will, it is believed, attack all fruits except lemons, but stone fruits and apples and pears are preferred, citrous fruit being subsequented infested. When attacking the, fruit the female fly punctures the skin and deposits an egg underneath it. Shortly afterwards a slightly discolored spot appears, wnich later increases in size, till the whole fruit becomes rotten. Extensive experiments have been conducted by. the experts of Queensland New South Wales, and Cape Colony, but so far no means have been discovered for keeping the fly under control, There has been some talk of a natural enemy, but so far nothing definite has been discovered. In his departmental report of 1905 Mr Kirk proves that it is quite possible as far as' climatic conditions are concerned for the pest to flourish in New Zealand. Experiments were tried with placing fruit in freezing chambers, and it was found that the maggot could readily stand a temperature of 32 deg. Fahr. for 48 hours, while he thought that they would readily breed in Auckland orchards. As a result of the pest in Queensland, whole orchards have been totally ruined.