CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1926, Page 1

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

YEAR’S WORK. IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIONS. NELSON, March 27. Recent activities of the Cawthron Institute are dealt with in a report to the Trust Board. Tn the course of tho report it is stated that the soil survey of AVaimea County is approaching completion so far as this work can he economically carried on at present. Tt is expected that at an early date a beginning will be made with a soil survey of Takaka County. A preliminary examination has been made of a number of soils from Collingwood and Murchison (Anilities, and it appears that a certain type of sheep sickness in tho former county is associated with a remarkable shortage of phosphates in tho soils upon which the sickness occurs. During the present season field experiments have been continued with barley grass, lucerne and hay. Toma'fo experiments have been extended to the field. They have included sterilisation experiments, which have indicated that chloride of lime, if used until caution, may prove to he a very useful soil antiseptic. Orchard experiments have again demonstrated the great value of suitable fertilsiers, both in apple and peach orchards. In Aloutcrc Hills orchards much attention has been paid to a disorder recognised by the pitting and browning of fruit. The trouble has been very prevalent this season, and has occurred both ill manured and untna mired orchards. Observations on different root stoeks, on mammal effects and on sprays continue to he carried out.

Entomologoy experiments are being conducted on the control of blackberry and ragwort, mealy bug, pear slug, cottony cushion scale, and oak scale by means of their natural enemies. A large consignment of Canadian green lacewings has been received, and from their eggs a number of adults have been reared. If this lacewig ran ho established it will be a valuable check to many kinds of aphis, including tho aphides of the pine plantations. This type of work is beset with difficulties, and it seems certain some of the most valuable insects will only be successfully. established after repeated trials. A number of papers dealing with points or entomologio interest have been communicated to tho learned societies during the past year, and at tho request of the Forestry Department a paper on Canadian lacewigs has been prepared by Afr Gourlay for tho New Zealand Forestry Bulletin. Letters of appreciation of tho excellent work accomplished by Aphelinus mali continue to bo received. The trustees have sent Dr Tillyard to England and America to make a special study of the blackberry and ragwort problem. Other troubles which ho will investigate are pests of the pine and tho spruces, the oak scale and oak aphis, and the earwig. The New Zealand Government lias contributed £250 and the Commonwealth Government of Australia £IOO towards the expenses of these investigations. i A very large number of diseased plants and fruits from all parts of New Zealand have been received and reported on. Special attention has been given to the study of brown rot in stone fruit, and a paper by Dr Curtis illustrated by fifty-nine drawings, has been forwarded to London for publication. The paper deals with factors governing resistance to disease in five varieties of peach, five of apricot, five of plum, two of nectarine and one of cherry. Other fungal diseases treated experimentally have been Mack spot of apple and die-back and bud-drop of stone fruit. A paper on three diseases of the willow has been published by Afi ss Alurray. Orchard experiments have shown the advantage of co-opera-tion lie tween the mycologist and agricultural chemist in dealing with the problems of plant- disease. New Zealand fruitgrowers have voted £IOO towards the expenses of the biological department.