FIRE-BLIGHT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20178, 5 March 1931, Page 9

FIRE-BLIGHT.

VOLUNTARY INSPECTORS, APPEAL TO HORTICULTURISTS. .I'/"' \ . A call for volunteers to search gar-den*-in the City for fire4)ligbt in .trees was made at .last night's meeting of the Canterbury Council of the New Zealand Horticultural Trades' Association. Unless the greatest care vfts taken between ilow and August, there would be very great danger of a general outbreak, one member. All cankers, ho added, should be carefully out, and the infected pieces burned. The chairman (Mr J. M. McLeod) said that volunteer b were required to inspect gardens and make reports to the orchard instructor. Those volunteers would receive authority from the Government to enter any premises and inspect the trees, The Act would be Enforced and badly affected' trees would be destroyed.

"It Would be a deplorable thing it fire-blight got into oui 1 orchards,' 1 said Mr McLeod. "The Government was notified- some years ago of the menace and it was scandalous that the peSt was not then definitely stamped out, It is in our own interests to combine ih the £ght. The Government is poor and cannot pay, therefore we must have volunteers " ; Mr G. A. Green (Dominion organiser) said that "frenzied assistance]' had done great harm in the North Island! "Keep your heads &00I," hp said, "and co-operate in the battle against this dangerous disease. In the springtime bees and flies spread the pest from blossom to blosiom, 'Once yott see it you will not mistake its charactor.'' Mr Green advised- thorough Sterilisation. of knives used And destruction of the affected parti by fire. Mr H, Firman (secretary) said that he believed that the infeetlon had heen in Ohristohuroh for some years.