9 



and economy of remedial measures against this insect. Fumigation 

 was finally chosea as the chief means, for while perfectly aware that 

 this treatment could not be universally adopted by private parties 

 owing to the initial expenses, it was also recognised that it had 

 proven best iu California, and that if it was popularized in the 

 colony, co-operation among growers or private enterprise could bring 

 it within the means of a large proportion of the growers. 



Previous Use of Fumigation in Cape Colony. The first 



use of hydrocyanic acid gas to substitute spraying in Cape Colony 

 was, it is believed, by Mr. P. J. Cillie, C'son, of Wellington, who as a 

 Government delegate had been to California during 1893 to acquire 

 general horticultural information for the benefit of colonial fruit 

 growers. Mr. Cillie had a few tents prepared shortly after his 

 return and fully corroborated the Californian experience that 

 fumigation with the gas was far more efficacious than spraying with 

 the very best of washes by cleaning a number of citrus trees in 

 different parts of Wellington. At about the same time that Mr. 

 Cillie was working with the process, another enterprising fruit 

 grower, Mr. Henry Meyers, of Nawlands in the Cape Division, 

 undertook to fumigate his orchard. But altogether these attempts to 

 make fumigation a factor in the colonial fruit industry threatened to 

 come to naught through the many obstacles which the introduction of 

 new means and appliances meets in colonies; the principal one of which 

 is, perhaps, the great difficulty of obtaining small quantities of the 

 necessary materials at prices which leave any margin of profit 

 before a steady demand, with consequent lowering of the cost of 

 importation, has been created. 



Preparations for the Work- The real need, then, was to 



encourage and populari/e this remedial measure, thus creating a 

 demand for the treatment which would bring the expense within 

 the limits of economy; or, what really amounts to the same thing, 

 to prove by an object lesson that with proper management the 

 expense is not prohibitive. In July, the Government Entomologist, 

 whose services are available to the Board through the courtesy of 

 the Department of Agriculture, was instructed to have an outfit 

 prepared and to proceed to fumigate the citrus orchards in Welling- 

 ton. Cyanide for the work was at once ordered from the German 

 manufacturers, who furnish much of that used in California ; and 

 the actual work of fumigation was in progress by the 1st of 

 September. 



The Wellington members of the Board, Mr. P. J. Cillie and Mr. J . 

 F. Pentz, worked in conjunction with the Entomologist in the initial 

 arrangements, and the latter member rendered still more valuable 

 service by keeping a general oversight of the work while the outfit 

 remained in Wellington. The direct superintendence of the work 

 was entrusted to Mr. P. J. Pentz, also of Wellington. Three 

 coloured labourers completed the staff. The Entomologist planned the 



