AN ORCHARD MENACE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15274, 23 July 1920, Page 3

AN ORCHARD MENACE.

(To the Editor of the Herald.) Siiy-I am pleased to note the prominence being given to the great danger -to. the fruitgrowing industry by the spread of '-fire, bllglrt." This bacterial disease is ".the worst yet," m fact, Professors Hesler and Whetzel m their excellent "Manual 6f Fruit Diseases," describe it as "the most universally destructive 01 all pomaceous fruit diseases," and* say that it may appear suddenly m a locality and cause complete destruction. In the region south of New York and Mlcmgan Sfates, Barilclt (Williams $on Chretien) pear growing has been largely abandoned, m the southern 1 Stales the culture of the Keiffer pear, generally regarded as resistant to the" *isea'se, has been discontinued, whilst, from when n was discovered m California m 1900 until 1908. two-thirds cl the Bartlett pears of that State had been destroyed. The disease affects, among other fruits apples, pears, quinces, and stone fruits, ami also thorn hedges, very considerable damage having already been done by it m our own Dominion, and not very far from our own district/ Unity Is strengtli! Will the Poverty Bay growers realise the menace before it is too late by combining to keep out this scourge, and, m the event of it appearing, by helping to lo'-aTse it niui stainn v ol it? Uem<"-inev whole orchards, and, I hear, miles of hawthorn hedges have already been «k---stroyed m New Zealand. Yours or .-nine may be the netft. Although "we arc assured that the disease has not vet h" neared here, we have no guarantee ol this, as very little inspection of Poverty Hay orchards and gardens has taken place for a long time Viwing to dislocation of the. s'aff of orchard instructors, due to Ihe absence of some af the war and the assistant director, Mr. Campbell, m America. The appointment of a permanent local orchard instructor, who is to make Glsborne his home and headquarters, is a big step m advance, and indicates that the Horticulture Division is alive to the requirements of. the district and its possibilities. • I feel Mire that I am voicing the opinion of growers m« welcoming Mr. Mason Davey among us, having known him' for some years as a painstaking, capable and .hard working officer, who did excellent service m cleaning up tho San Jose scale m the M'Hueka district. No doubt. Mr. Davey will also appreciate his change from Southland to this land of promise with its congenial climate. Referring aora'n to organisation, (he question of holding a meeting of growers at an early dale has already been mooted, and it is to be hoped that when it is held «very fruitgrower will attend with the full conviction to co-operate for the protection <>f out} orchards and other urgent matters relating to the industry — I nm, etc., W. R. Stmrisf. ©ith^rd Kaiti. *