THE GODLIN MOTH BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2486, 16 June 1888, Page 3

THE GODLIN MOTH BILL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sik,—ln last Tuesday's issue of your journal the Alexandra correspondent states that the fanners in that district consider the codlin moth scare is a cry cot up " by a few faddists to assist Hobbs in his hobby." He then attempts to work upon bur feelings by "deadly poison" and the dangers of having it in houses where there are children ; after which he becomes facetious and recommends the. ' extermination of all beetles, cockroaches, sandflies, &c. If this is the genuine feeling of the Alexandra fanners (which, with all due respect to your correspondent, I cannot but doubt) I would recommend them to pay Cambridge a visit next fruit season, and I shall be happy to show them a few orcharJs that I am sure will effectually remove any doubts they may have of the necessity of stringent measures being adopted for the eradication of this pest. We have iu this district ssveral large fruit farms that yield many tons of produce each year, and this is being rendered almost valueless, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of tlie owners by their neighhonrs having a few trees that are neglected, and breed codlin moths by the thousand. Now, how would the Alexandra farmers like that ? If the foot and mouth disease was to break out at Al-xandra, there would soon be an outcry among the farmers for special legislation, and the country would be flooded with inspectors, and no one would growl. Why ? Because every one who owned a cow would be afraid of it catching the disease. Are not then the fruit fanners, who have (in some cases) risked their all in supplying a much needed want, worthy of some consideration : or are they to be 'allowed to be ruined by the indolence of a few, who are content if they get one sound apple out of every twenty that prow upon the trees. It is utterly useless for a iew to fight the pest. It must be a case of all or none, if it is to be driven out of the country ; and I cannot think that the farmers of Alexandra and the neighbourhood will adopt such a dog in the manger policy as to go dead against the Bill, because they are not at the present time—suffering from the complaint as badly as we, in Cambridge, are doing. I am told that a -Jd per tree will pay all expenses; but even if it should not, and supposing that it required one pound of fruit from each bearing tree, would not it amply repay itself, if the remaining fruit was sound. Speaking for myself it would have repaid me one hundred fold during the past season, for I am sure that I did not get one sound apple out of every hundred that grew in my small orchard. Regarding the poison, I would suggest to your correspondent that it is not necessary to keep it in the house ; it will do equally well in a stable or other outhouse; and as to beetles, cockroaches, 4c, if they did as much damage as the codlin moth I would wage war against them until they were if possible, exterminated. Apologizing for trespassing on your space.—l am &c. A SnKKEKKIt. Cambridge, Jn.u 14th, ISSB.