The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY; 10, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4401, 10 February 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY; 10, 1883.

A shobt time ago we rentured to call the ! attention of fruit growers to the necessity of acquiring some knowledge of the habits of many of the insects which ravage our fruit trees, with a riew to the adoption of systematic measures for the destruction of these pests. We have attached special importance to this sub' ject because the Thames district appears to be particularly adapted to the fruitgrowing industry. , Miners are generally rery good gardeners, and hare a great liking for the cultivation of fruit trees. This quality is not peculiar to the miners of the Thames. The Cornish miner, for instance, inherits it from his ancestors in the old country. His spare time on the surface is almost instinctively devoted to this industry as an amusement, and many of them make it their hobby. Give a number of miners sufficient time to settle down upon suitable plots of land, and there we find flowers, garden produce and fruit in perfection, always barring the impediments to progress presented by nature herself. The neat homesteads and gardens which may be seen about Shortland and Block 27 bear witness to the truth of, these remarks. We have only to look a little further, say from Tararu to Parawai, or along the coast towards Tapu, and further'inland towards Te Aroha, and we shall see that another class of persons are gradually investing capital and labor in orchards. Is it not a pity that so much capital should.be jeopar* dised, and so much industry and energy be devoted to disappointment, because these persons do not exercise that ordinary care, foresight, and intelligence which every prudent individual would deem accessary for the conduct of'hia business P We think H may be takes for granted that certain fruit trees, say, the plums, the pears, and the cherries, without referring to any others, have been for several seasons peculiarly liable to the ravages of many insect enemies, one of which, the leech or slug worm, we-may specially mention. With another season to follow such as this, iv orchards where, these insects have been allowed to prevail unchecked, we may. unfortunately, predict that many persons will find it advisable to root up trees no affected »ud plant uew

ones. The injury done may, to the un'Ditiated, pass unobserved for the present, but the results are there notwithstanding, Tand may be such as to render the recovery of such trees more than doubtful. And yet this is but one of the least difficulties which the fruit grower has to fight against. The injuries done by insects, which we can readily see are numerous enough, but they are greatly exceeded in number by those which require experienced eyes and some j knowledge to detect. In the case of the leech, the remedy is simple and inexpensive, but it must be taken in time. Take one tablespoonful of white hellebore and pour over it a gallon of hot water. Stir it well and let it cool. Then add a gallon of cold water. With this liquid the trees should be syringed, taking care to wet every leaf. In eight and forty hours no living leech will be found thereon. The trees will rapidly regain their former healthy appearance, and one or two further similar doses will keep them so during the season. The cost of hellebore ia about two shillings a pound. We are aware of one instance where that quantity sufficed for seventy or eighty trees, as well as a hawthorn hedge of six chains in length, each side of which was subjected to the same treatment with perfect success. Though we cannot devote much fnrther space to the subject, we may remark that oar attention has been called to another insect which has lately appeared in great numbers, and is now infesting almost every description of fruit tree and shrub. It is apparently a coccus or scale insect, by some persons supposed to be a new species recently named leery a Purchasii. Whether this be so or not we have yet to learn. The injuries caused by this insect are not immediately apparent, but so much is known of the habits of the species to which, it belongs, that we feel assured that the results of the present attack will be very widely and disastrously spread, and that this pest may be expected to appear in vastly increased numbers next season. We cannot therefore too strongly urge our fruit growers' to be up and doing. Let them make common cause against the enemy. Towards this end, Mr Allom's proposal, made through our columns last week, that the Thames fruit growers should meet and from time to time discuss the steps necessary to be taken for their mutual defence, meets with our hearty recommendation and support.