THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE." HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 1916 REGISTERING THE ORCHARD.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 9 November 1916, Page 2

THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE." HELENSVILLE, THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 1916 REGISTERING THE ORCHARD.

Have you registered your orchard yet ? If not do so at once, and save heavy penalty. It matters not if you possess one fruit tree only, a dozen, or, one hundred trees, the new Kegistration Act is now in force and everyone is compiled to register accordingly. Forms to fill in are obtainable at all post offices. 'At first there was a great hue and cry at having to register a one-tree orchard, or a garden containing two or three fruit trees, as being ■arbitrary, and not long since a couple of members of Parliament were prevailed upon to approach the Minister in charge of the Agricultural Department upon the apparent absurdity of the new law —to a few—but the fiat went forth that the k(one-tree orchard" was to be included in the Registration Act, and quite right too. The Act is made for the protection of all orchardists, the small man as well as the big fellow, for what is the use of a man spraying his little or big lot against the numerous diseases, when his next door neighbour may be, through neglect, the cause of his undoing, because the codlin moth, leech, fungus growth, leaf curl, etc., are as catching as the measles or smallpox. One blighted tree in a garden may ruin the next door neighbour, who looks after his specially picked and guarded trees. The season is again at hand when the various pests of the orchard will be commencing their ravages upon the fruit and foliage of the various orchard trees. Advice upon spraying, however, is no longer necessary with the commercial orchardist, who, is.«.jiow fully alive to its advantages in the production of sound, marketable fruit. But now that the Registration Act is in force, however farcical it may appear, or whether the Department in framing the Eill realised its farreaching effect in demanding the registration of a single tree, the subject of spraying will naturally eifect almost every person growing fruit trees. Everyone is ? by the Act, compelled to, spray aooqr-cjing to the disease requiring to bo excelled, and woe betide the man who neglects to do his duty when the Government Inspector comes along. Take the whole M New Zealand, from the Blutf to the far North, there are very few coimtly or suburban liomes 1 hat have not at least one' fruit

tree, and will therefore require to^come under the supervision of an Inspector. The Inspectors' task is certainly a very big one, but it is also an important one, and one that must be attended to in the best possible way if the reputation of the Dominion as a fruit growing country is to be upheld. During these war times there may be some laxity shown by the Government in getting suitable Inspectors, and there will be a large number required to carry out the Act as it ought to be, but time will tell.