Tree Blight.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1893, 25 October 1886, Page 2

Tree Blight.

An important memorandum on the subject of the various pests that have attacked fruit and ornamental trees in the colony, was submitted to the Philosophical Society by Mr W. M. Maskell on Wednesday evening says the Post. Mr Maskell suggested lor the consideration of the Society the question whether or not steps should be taken to call the attention of Government to the damage that is now being caused to trees in various parts of the colony by certain insects and other pesls, to which the generic name of “ blight ”is applied. He pointed out that the orange and lemon trees in Auckland, apples and other fruit elsewhere, and shade, ornamental, and timber trees, generally, were becoming a piey to Insects, and being destroyed. For example, in the grounds of the Parliamentary Buildings

almost every tree appeared as if it had been scorched by lire, the injury being really caused by minute insects. The raaorooarpa cypresses were also suffering from a disease that caused them to wither and die, and similar instances might be multiplied. There was now in New Zealand a Forest Department, within whose sphere the cure of these diseases would come. The majority of people did not know what means to adopt in order to get rid of the insects on their trees and a good deal of harm was done by the adoption of erroneous recommendations. 1’ n liament had voted £15,000 to the Forest Department, which was devoting its attention chiefly to the School of Forestry in the north of Auckland, and to the planting of olive trees—both excellent objects, but not more important than that which he was advocating. Therefore he suggested that the Society should urge upon the Minister of Dands that the energies of the Forest Department should be actively employed in disseminating information of the kind that was required. Mr Maakell moved a resolution to this effect, which was seconded b? Mr J. Oontts Crawford. Dr Hutchinson* and Jd??«S A, de B. Brandon and Mr Chapman strongly supported the motion, and advocated immediate action. Mr Chapman pointed out (bat a serious tree pest known as the sceria purclml, which first appeared in Auckland some years ago, had now reached Napier, and was steadily working its way towards Wellington. He oonid not conceive any worse pest, for it killed almost everything that it touched. The resolntion was carried unanimously. Mr Maikell then moved that the Council of (be society be dirsstsd

to take steps to give effect to the resolution. He would 'ike to ask Government dislinct'v to devote portion of the £15,000 appropriated for the Forest Department, to the di* seminatingof such information as the people required. In his opinion a great deal of the money that was being spent in Auckland in planting olive trees might have been expended more usefully in supplying the public with information, and this was the question that ought to be put straight to the Minister, The motion was seconded by Mr Chapman ami carried.