WAR ON PASTURE PESTS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1935, Page 9

WAR ON PASTURE PESTS

BIDIBIDI; GRASS GRUB CAWTHRON INSTITUTE CAMPAIGN. PARASITES TO BE FOUND IN CHILE. FARMERS FINANCE EXPEDITION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Aug. 17. The chief entomologist of the Cawthron Institute, Dr. David Miller, sailed last night by the Tamaroa for Panama, en route for Southern Chile. His purpose is to bring back live specimens of two insects, one of which attacks the piri piri (bidibidi) and. the other the grass grub, and to search for other useful insects.

Both insects were studied by. Dr. Miller in Chile in 1930, but owing to the absence of a direct shipping service from South America the institute has had difficulty in obtaining live specimens, as they were killed by the heat in the tropics. Dr. Miller by a special measure hopes to bring them back alive to breed at the institute.

“I am of the opinion that the Meat Board, the Dairy Board, the Farmers’ Union and a group of Wanganui farmers who have contributed to the cost of this expedition have set an excellent example of self-help,” Dr. Miller remarked. “The Cawthron institute has served the Dominion since 1920 without costing the Dominion a penny. The action of the farmers in assisting to finance this expedition shows that they are fuly appreciating the work that the institute is doing and are choosing to help themselves through the institute.”