BLACKBERRY BLIGHT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16895, 18 November 1920, Page 3

BLACKBERRY BLIGHT.

10 SHE EDITOE. Sir,—Supplementing my note to you ro the above, I beg to append the classi-fication-of she blight by the Government biologist, anil his remarks thereon: “The scale on the blackberry branch sent in is a common European species formed on many members of the roce family, generally- known as the ‘Rose Scale' (Aulaeaspis Rosae). 'lt spreads with great rapidity, having several broods throughout the year, the young being on the move most of the season. As a /means of eradicating blackberry it has not proved of much value except in certain isolated districts in Mew Zealand. In tho Port Underwood district it has done most ex-, cellent work, quite largo areas of blackberry being killed out., So good, indeed, has been its effect on blackberry In that*’district that one of the residents there built up quite a trade in selling infected branches,' and he distributed colonies quite widely. The result, however, has not been in the least satisfactory. This is duo to the fact that in nearly all parts of New Zealand this scale becomes heavily parasiting, and in cops'equence its spread is checked. In point of fact rose scale is more or less distributed throughout New Zealand, hut the reason why it has never become, serious on cultivated plants such as raspberries and roses is duo ,iio its being held in check by natural enemies. From the above it can be seen that there is no likelihood of Auldeaspis being of any real value in the control of blackberry.’”— Yours, etc., JOHN LYON.

Note.—The term “heavily parasiting” I understand means that the parasites are somewhat cannibal and ''prey on themselves.—J .L.