STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 537 



«.— A PLEA FOR AN INTERCOLONIAL STATE BOARD 

 OF HORTICULTURE. 



By A. MOLINEUX, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., 6cc. 



I am desirous to submit this question in the most concise form 

 Ijossible. leaving those to Avhom the idea may prove acceptable to 

 elaborate and. if possible, bring- it to a practical conclusion. A 

 very considerable number of people in Australia gain their living 

 by the practice of horticvdture, and the whole of the population is 

 dependent upon them for many of the principal necessaries of life. 

 For instance, in South Australia alone there are more than 1,000 

 persons cultivating orchards and gardens over five acres in area, 

 and a majority of the people cultivate smaller gardens. In Victoria 

 and New South Wales, of course, the numbers of persons engaged 

 in horticulture are greater, whilst in Queensland they probably 

 equal those in South Australia. It is, then, most important that 

 those cultivators should be enabled to make the best use of their 

 opportunities, for upon their success and prosperity depends also 

 the prosperity, comfort, and health of the general commimity. 



It has been calculated that the fruitgrowers in Angaston district 

 and southwards to Adelaide annually lose £10,000 worth of apples, 

 pears, and apricots through the effects of three jiarasitic fungi 

 introduced from other countries, viz., Fusiclndium dendriticum, 

 F. pijrhmm, and Phyllosiicfa circumcissa, commonly known as 

 apple, pear, and apricot scabs. In addition to these pests the 

 unfortmiate growers have to contend against numerous other 

 parasitic fungi, eel-worms, scale insects, borers, and other ravagers, 

 Avhich are constantly being multiplied by ncAv introductions from 

 other countries. 



No estimate of the total annual loss to the colonies from the 

 depredations of these numerous pests has ever come imder my 

 notice, but it must certainly amount in the aggregate to hundreds 

 of thousands of pounds. 



That the greater part, if not the whole, of this enormous annual 

 loss is preventible can be shown by the results of scientific inquiry 

 and consequent recommendation in other countries. Pasteur dis- 

 covered the cause, and indicated the remedy for the silkworm 

 disease. Oidium of vines is no longer feared because sulphur 

 supplies the remedy. Colorado beetles threatened the existence of 

 the j)otato, but Paris green was found to be effectual against this 

 and numerous other insects of a similar habit. Scab in sheep, 

 foot and mouth disease, rinderpest, actinomycosis, and many other 

 affections of oru- live stock have been successfully resisted. The 

 Novius (Vedalia) cardinaUs was introduced by the efforts of 

 science to Southern California and Cape Colony, and M'ithin a very 

 ^\\o\t \\me the Icerya Piirchasii , v^Yach. had jjreviou sly been intro- 

 duced into each of those countries and had taken entire possession 

 of orange and other fruit trees, was utterly exterminated. The 



