223 



State, but the Chief Inspector for Insect Pests reported in 1910 

 that amongst careful orcharcists it was doing little damage. 

 The growers co-operate in efforts to combat this pest, and, 

 although the parasite has failed to establish itself, the use of 

 kerosine traps and the grubbing up of useless trees is tending 

 to keep the pest under reasonable contrcjl. 



Fruit Fly Eradication. 



A communication, dated May 4th, igi2, has only recently 

 been received by the Agent-General from the Lands Department 

 in Western Australia, enclosing a letter of advice issued to 

 orchardists by the acting Fruit Inspector of Insect Pests, in 

 which this oi^cer states that it has been already demonstrated, 

 in several districts in the south-western portion of Western 

 Australia, that by carefully watching and judiciously handling 

 all winter fruits it is possible not only to reduce Fruit Fly to 

 harmless proportion but actually to eradicate it entirely from 

 a whole district. The inspector firmly believes that the same 

 result can be achieved anywhere, provided all those who have 

 winter fruits in their possession take special care to prevent 

 those fruits from providing the pest with a " carry-over " from 

 season to season. To do this all that is necessary is to examine 

 the fruit frequently throughout the months of June, July, 

 August, and September, and, as soon as any larvic are found, 

 the trees should be stripped, all infested fruit should be dcstrovcd, 

 and all sound fruit stored or marketed. 



A campaign has been planned for the present winter with 

 a view of carrying out these ideas, and the assistance and co- 

 operation of all fruit-growers in districts infested with Fruit 

 Fly is being enlisted. 



Advice by latest mail states that a public meeting is to be 

 held at Guildford, Western Australia, for the purpose of fully 

 discussing methods to be adopted. 



A petroleum emulsion wash has also been found etticacious 

 in the case of the San José Scale. Parasites of the Red Scale 

 have not yet been sufficiently established to combat this pest, and 

 spraying and fumigating have to be systematically resorted to. 



A report l)y .Mr. F. Stowakd, Botanist and Pathologist, is 

 appended. 



