FIGHTING THE FRUIT-FLY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 5

FIGHTING THE FRUIT-FLY.

"AUSTRALIAN METHODS.

.INTERVIEW WITH MR. T. W. KIRK,

.ihy T./.W.. Kirk,' Government Biologist, rha ;.has,;just' returned to Wellington after a' Australia, was interviewed" by a Dominion . representative yesterday. During his trip)'wherein, business was happily combined'with pleasure, Mr. Kirk attended the Federal Conference convened for the purpose of-discussing matters relating to "the. various phasesfof the marketing and export of fruit. The Conforenco was attended. by delegates from New South .Wales; Queensland,-; Victoria, South . Australia, Western Australia arid New Zealand. Mr. Kirk at-tended-as ; tho official representative. of the Department !of Agricultnre, and Messrs. Moore" (Hawkes' Bay) and Sissons "(Christ-, church) represented the-- 1 New Zealand Fruit Growers'" Association.'' As'-a "result of the .Conference-it is probable/that certain- amended regulations: governing the. fruit, industry in,cNew,.Zealand,- which were drafted,two months ago. and held over until after the Fe'deral Conference, 'will,' 'with slight ■ alteratfdnsj'f'be;''submitted to ,'the"Minister., De-tails'-of"ihe-'coHfefenco will bo embodied in a special:.report.,to tho Minister. . ... :v i- : -._ -THETWO. WORST PESTS. ■ ' • The, Conversation then-turned', on to the standing toj>ic:among fruit-growers, tho fruit fly. "-Mr.. lvirk, oxplained;"the, situation as it at/present existed in .Australia. , Halterophbra capitata and Tophritis.try-" onii ■ are the aristocratic titles of'tho two worst', pests known ~to orchardists: The former is the .'-Mediterranean:'' fruit-fly, and thVlatter is the' Queensland variety. ..There'are two methods of dealing with the pest. Science suggests a natural enemy, a'.belligerent insectvwhich will seek iojit, and destroy the- fruit-fly. This.problem has not yet been solved, and in view, of the serious, menace to an important industry created by the havoc which the fruit-fly is capable of inflicting in orchards tho Government Entomologist of-New South Wales will-shortly'go abroad; in search of an effective natural' enemy of the.- insect, the expense of his researches to ,be borne by the State Govern-, monts of the Commonwealth. The' -alternative -method is to institute a rigbrons inspection. of orchards, imported fruit,' andlocally grown fruit in consignees'.- ■••<"■-' : , ''*&■•:'.'Kiri:'then 'reviewed tho re_rilation3whicliyhhd :been issued by the South. Australian Government. "The lead was taken by Victoria, but the South Australian regu-lations,,,-although substantially, similar in general respects, are. very much stricter. Vory great interest is takon in tho question of strict control of inter-State fruit exchange, and especially with regard to the produco of * a,district where any oroliard disease is known to exist. Tho Mediterranean fruit-fly is the more .common of the species, but tho Queensland "variety has a wider range. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGULATIONS/ Clause. 1, sub-section (o) of the South Australian, regulations says:— '■ . ."Except as hereinafter provided in suosection (g), no fruit of mango, guava, per simfnon, .tomato, cucumber, passion-viua. poach, apricot, plum, cherry,, apple, pear quincoi or any of. the citrus familv, shall bo' introduced-''into South Australia'from any country or State wore any insects known as, Halterophora capitata .or Tophritis tryonii, respectively known as and called the Mediterranean 1 fruit-fly, and, tho Queenslaul are' known' 1 to exist, unless each caso or packago shall contain the name and.address of the grower and packer, and is accompanied by a declaration signed by tho growbr, and countersigned by an inspector of the '. Department of Agriculture of that country .or" Stato, that the .said fruit is free from Mediterranean or Queensland frait-ily, and that such. fruits havol boon, prior to examination by tho said : officer; kept for sevon clear days after having been'--picked from, tho trees,, and boforo such fruits wcro placed'in the case or covering used for oxporting them to South Australia.

1 (F!)..,N0 bananas, shair,bo introduced into the. State of South' Australia unless they bo accompanied by a' certificate signed by" the grower' of- such bananas, and countersigned by of tho Department of Agricul-ture-of-the exporting Stato or country, that such bananas liavo been, prior to examination ;by_'the said officer, covered with netting impervious to tho above fruit-flies for two months': preceding tho, dato of exportation. Each 'case, or package containing any such bananas shall bear the name and address of tho grower and packer of such bananas, and Bhallcontain a printed slip or memorandum giving the same information." ■ ' Sub-section (g) contains throe provisions regarding the examination and treatment by tho South Australian inspectors of shipments which are rot in accordance with tho specified conditions in sub-section, (e). Subnotion (h) provide:) that whenover any of the'.above-named fruits or bananas oxported to South Australia are found to bo injuriously affected by cither of tho abo.-e----riamed insects (in any stagoof existence/, the pro.duco of tho orchard in which such fruits .Wore grown will be refused admission until an' inspector of tho Department of Agrkmlturo has declared such orchard to ho freo ; from tho fruit-fly. • Clanso 2 makes it impossiblo for any fruit, or tho product of any treo or plant, to be landed in tho State without tho written permission of a Government inspector. All !.ljy«;ig''tiroes,', plants, or fruits imported aro'.'takoii, into tho custody of tho Government! If, -in. the opinion of tho inspector, their importation constitutes a danger to tho' industry, they can bo destroyed.