404: QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Oor., 1901- 
The Orchard. 
KILLING FRUIT FLY. 
By S. C. VOLLER. 
Some, at least, of the delegates who attended the Agricultural Conference’ 
in Warwick in June, 1900, may remember that in connection with the discus- 
sions which took place on the subject of fruit culture, the writer of this article 
described how very successful results had been obtained on his own place by 
catching the fruit tly with a light butterfly net. 
The statement was made that in the course of a few weeks a couple of 
thousand fruit flies had been caught and killed, and that the undoubted result 
of this was the satisfactory checking of the attack on the fruit, and, further, 
the successful marketing of the fruit. This statement went out to the world 
when the deliberations of the conference were published, and as a result the 
author of it came in for a good deal of “chaff” from one and another who did 
not believe in the idea; and in one case a somewhat sneering criticism was put 
into print. 
In spite of criticism and chaff, however, the notion is a good one, and well 
worthy the attention of fruitgrowers, who need to use every means at their 
command to stop the fly. 
There is no doubt that, if we do not beat him, he will beat us. Every 
means within reason should be used to this end. - 
Some growers recognise this fact, and I was very agreeably surprised the 
other day on receiving a letter from a fruitgrower which supports me in my 
position. 
As a possibly interesting bit of reading for those who read the Journal, 
and as a help also to the fruitgrower, I will state what he says, more especially 
as he has given his permission for this. 
This is a copy of his letter :— 
Ark Orangery, 
Howard, 24th July, 1901. 
8. C. Voller, Esq. 
Duar Str,—When you were here about two years ago you told me often of 
your catching a large number of fruit flies in your orchard just prior to the fruit 
getting ripe. 
Though I did not altogether disbelieve you, still I felt sure that some mistake 
must have been made in your counting. it 
You also mentioned that you were not troubled with the fly that year. (This 
latter remark refers to the time of marketing.—3.C.V.) 
T have often thought of trying the idea myself, and last year I offered 2d. per 
dozen for all flies caught and delivered to me. ‘In the course of a week I thought 1 
should be ruined, as the flies were coming in very freely, and on several occasions 
had to pay 4s. 6d. or 5s. for a day’s flycatching, and these only caught im the dinner 
hour or on Sundays. I kept count of the ales and before the oranges were quite 
ripe I had upwards of 2,000 flies. i 
I paid over 30s. hard cash for these wretched pests, and thought what a fool I 
had been, but fortunately I reaped the benefit of it, as I had few, if any, flies at my 
oranges right through the season, and intend to follow up this business early next 
year. ' 
Tf you could urge every fruitgrower to do likewise, I think it would very soo? 
thin out, if not exterminate, the fly. 
Iam, &c., 
NOAH RICHARDS. 
The above is the letter of a practical man whose orchard is far too valuable 
to be allowed to go under to the fruit fly, or any other pest, and I earnestly 
urge others to go and do as he has done. 
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