FIRE BLIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1922, Page 6

FIRE BLIGHT.

MENACE TO FRUIT CULTURE. POSITION AT PATEA. It will come as unwelcome news to orchardists that the disease which '•ecently attacked fruit trees at Patea has been definitely diagnosed as the dreaded fire blight. As reported in these columns last week, specimens from the affected trees at. Patea had been. forwarded to the Horticultural Division of the Agricultural Department, and submitted to the biological section for investigation. Mr. J. A. Campbell, director of the Horticultural Division, informed a Dominion reporter on Monday that the disease had been definitely diagnosed as fire blight. Prompt steps w’ere being taken by the Department to confine the outbreak to Patea, and with this object in view, Mr. Campbell left for Patea yesterday. Patea is not a great iruit-growing district, and, as there are few hawthorn hedges in the vicinity, it is hoped lo stamp out the disease before it has a chance to spread across the island to Hawke’s Bay, where fruit culture is so extensively carried on. Orchardists are naturally alarmed at the appearance of fire blight so* far from the affected areas in the northern portion of the Auckland province. They argue that if the pest could be carried to Patea by contact it might just as easily be introduced into any of the fruit-growing areas. If fire blight should obtain a hold in the Dominion, it would be a serious matter, as it would mean that outside markets would be closed to New Zealand fruit.

.Mr. Campbell is hopeful that the outbreak at Patea can be promptly and effectively suppressed. His only concern is that the pest may make its appearance in other centres in the same sudden and inexplicable manner as it di t at Patea. He gives an assurance that the most effective measures will be applied to the outbreak, and every precaution taken to eon«ne me trouble to the Patea district.