The Fielding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1897. ORCHARD PESTS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 284, 7 June 1897, Page 2

The Fielding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1897. ORCHARD PESTS.

As this is the season of the year during which orohardists and others give some attention to their trees it might be of interest to them to know that the Orchard and Garden Pests Acts, 1896, makes it compulsory on owners or occupiers of land on which even a small number of trees are grown to dress the same with a suitable specific if affected with blight. Section 13 provides that " Eveiy owner or occupier ot land used as an orchard shall, during the autumn or winter season of each year, efficiently dress all the fruit trees therein with a suitable dressing for the purpose of eradicating or checking the spread of tipple-scab and codlin moth ; and if he fails or neglects so to do he commits an offence." Any Inspector may at any time enter upon any such land for the purpose of inspecting the same, and ascertaining whether the provisions of the Act have been complied with. Any person offending against any of the provisions of the Act is liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds for every such offence. Although the Government are not at present stringently enforcing all the provisions of the Act the time will arrive when inspectors will be appointed whose duty it will be to inspect gardens and orchards with a view to enforcing the proper treatment of trees affected with blight. The necessity of fruitgrowers whether they are large or small producers, taking the matter in hand themselves without their being forced to do so will be apparent. It is for tbeir own benefit a«vd th.c sooner they move in the direction indicated the more profitable will their trees be.