PRESIDKNTS ADDRKSS. 35 



In 1898, most of the Agricultural Departments of our 

 States and New Zealand (except South Australia, which had 

 already had such an Act in force for many years), were 

 awakening to the fact that it was advisable to stop, by import 

 regulations, the further spread of insect and fungus-pests 

 that had not yet reached them, or were confined to restricted 

 areas. The Tasmanian authorities passed "An Act to pre- 

 vent the introduction into Tasmania of diseases, insect, fun- 

 gus, and other pests affecting Vegetation, October, 1898." 

 This was chiefly passed on account of the scare raised on the 

 mainland by the spread of the Queensland fruit-fly {Dacus 

 tryoni) and the San Jose Scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus). 

 Therefore Tasmania has two distinct Acts in force; the inter- 

 nal one dealing with the orchards administered by the local 

 Fruit-Boards ; and an Import or Port Act dealing with the 

 import and export of fruit, administered by the inspectors 

 ol the Department of Agriculture. Just as the Tasmanian 

 authorities had to take action against their chief enemy, the 

 Codling Moth, the Victorians were called upon to take active 

 measures, owing to the outbreak of Phylloxera in the Gee- 

 long vineyards, in 1875. The Diseases of Vines Act, 1877 

 provided for the appointment of inspectors, and the methods 

 to be adopted to fight this pest ; but it was virtually repealed 

 by the Amending Act, which was passed in the following 

 year. 



The Vegetation Diseases Act, 1896, dealt with the impor- 

 tation of pests from abroad ; and also with the examination 

 or inspection of all the orchards in the State ; and, under the 

 regulations, a great number of insects and fungi were pro- 

 claimed pests. The scope of this Act was much enlarged by 

 the Vegetation Diseases Act, 1901, and the subsequent regu- 

 lations. 



After several Fruit-Growers' Conferences, the Victorian 

 Fruit Case Act came into force, in 1906, under which a uni- 

 form size and shape for all cases containing fruit, was com- 

 pulsory. 



