FIRE-BLIGHT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20177, 4 March 1931, Page 8

FIRE-BLIGHT.

OUTBREAK SERIOUS. ORCHARDIST APPEALS FOE PROJIPT ACTION. 'lt is quite possible that within from two or three years every apple and pear tree growing in baekyard gardens will have to be removed owing to the of fire-blight throughout the City area," Said Mr C. E. Pope, vice-presi-dent of the Cbriatchnrch Stone Fruit and Tomato Growers' Association and president of the New Zealand Tomato Soft Fruit and Produce Growers' Council, to a representative of The Press yesterday, "And yet even with that danger imminentthe authorities are failing to take proper measures to endeavour to check the progress of this terrible disease, which threatens to become a menace to orchardists, amateur and commercial, in Canterbury. "It has been established that the outbreak which was discovered in the City's most central areas, was at ■ least two yearn old, and thus it had secured a long start on those who now wish to combat it," Mr Pope continued. "Since it was flrit located it lias been., fopid in St. Albans, Merivule, DaUington, Biccarton, and .Hillrwrten.' In the latter district there if &n orchard partialjy de- : stroyod by ti.e disease, and the ..trees i have the apr. aaranee of having been ring-barked. !

" Coxumerd&i Orchards In Danger. "If something drastic is not done immediately to ensure that "a campaign against the disease is commenced on a large scale there ia every danger that fire-blight will make its. appearance in the hundreds of commercial and the seriousness of that can easily be realised. The fruitgrowers have made representations to the Minister fpr Agriculture asking for assistance* rom that -Department, but to n<tna of the growers' suggestions has a reply been received. This delay is lamentably, and may easily have very serious consequences. "Recently some growers assisted in the inspection ofback'yard orchards and gardens and.it was astounding to see the ravages of dive? blight, eodlip. moth, red spider, and many other diseases and insocta which lack either proper .eontrol or any, control at all. Silver blight is a very serious, menace in) itself, and when recently aa'expert from the East Maling Research Station, England, was in New Zealand, he expressed, his araajseroent thftt its spread was not more closely watched. Outside Markets. * <*l have received information that, "the North Island has been debarred , from exporting fruit to certain overseas markets -owing to the prevalence of firebljght there. If the outbreak is allowed to cover a wide area in the Bou«h Island, treatment will be out to. growers in this Island/' Some of 1 the growers in "the Nelson district have taken exception to the publicity given' to the outbreak in Christchurch, / but that view is, to my mind, ridiculous, as it is only by facing the position with open eyes that we will make successful efforts.to control the disease." . ', t