The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4163, 25 November 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1884.

We owe a good deal to America. From there we iret tinned salmon, and the Codlin moth. A year or two back we were on tho watch for the Colorado beetle. This insect is said to be of exemplary patience; it was reported that millions of them will sit on the fences from which they will whittle off tooth-picks in anticipation of the crops they are waiting to cat. The Colorado beetle did not get so far as New Zealand ; but, in spite of recent precautions, its friend that goes by the name of Godlin is already in-; stalled in our orchards. It is thought bysome writers, that this fnoth was discovered by CharievDickeDs' Codlin in the "Old Curiosity Shop." It is a great pity it ever was discovered, for it plays as much havoc with,apples and pears as the Colorado beetle does with potatoes. Tho Industrial Gazette says this moth has destroyed an immense quantity, of apples and pears in Tasmania, and has done much.injury to the orchards in Nelson! In California it' is a perfect: pest, to the fruit growers.. In Tasmania one orchard which had .produced from two to threo thousand bushels of apples a year, was attacked by the- Codlin moth, and tho crop at once dwindled down to eighty bushels. • The Hon. Major Richmond who lires in Nelson, states that in his large orchard four-fifths of the fruit had been partially destroyed by the Codlin moth. This "borer," as it is termed, has only to fasten on to a fine apple or pear and the flavor of the whole fruit is quickly destroyed. Verily, the "Codlin Moli" is tho bete noir of orchard, owners. Last session it was made - the subject •of legislation. The Bill was introduced by the Hon. G. M. Waterhouso, and in due course became law. The working of the bill is to ,bo handed over to the County Councils, who are empowered to proclaim districts in which inspectors may bo appointed and to which the provisions of the Act may apply. A district may be declared ." unclean " on the petition of not less than five occupiers of orchards. The occupiers of every orchard to pay a sum not moro than one. halfpenny for every, tree growing in his orchard, which payment goes to the County Council, and forms a • fund to-pay. the expenses of working the Act! • Owners to send in a return of tho numbor of trees growing in their orchards. Tho County Councils are to appoint inspectors, who are empowered' to enter any orchards.iv ; "unclean " districts and examine the trees and fruit. Owners of orchards are required to give notice of their orchards being infected, and totakemeasures for curing the infected trees and of the infected fruit. Infected'fruit or cases in which it has been contained are not to be moved out of an infected district. The provisions of'the Act apply to fruit imported from California, which has to be examined to ascertain if it is infectod. Tho penalties for non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Act are not to exceed £5, and may be recovered in a summary way.