W. A. BOUCHER.]

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1.—12.

Mr. Boucher was asked to closely watch the insect, and report at the close of the 1901-2 season. His memorandum attached shows the desirability of adopting mechanical means for the control of the pest, and demonstrates the necessity for the warning above mentioned. " CODLIN-MOTH PABAsiTE {Trichogramma pretiosa). ■ " Investigations this season of the effect of this parasite tend to show that, as far as early and mid-season fruit is concerned, little or no appreciable benefit in a substantial reduction of the proportion of moth-infected fruit is derived. A brief consideration of that period of the life-history of the parasite which bears upon this point will explain the reason for this. As the parasite remains dormant in the egg of the codlin-moth during the winter and spring months, it is evident that the numbers of the parasite that will again be present at the commencement of each fruit season to continue the destruction of the codlin-moth eggs will depend upon the number of parasitised eggs that remain uninjured during the winter, the proportion of which under ordinary circumstances, and without artificial assistance, will be very small, so that the parasite commences each season heavily handicapped for its good work by its sadly diminished numbers. Although multiplying again rapidly, the season is well advanced before it becomes sufficiently numerous to destroy the eggs of the codlin-moth in such numbers as to perceptibly reduce the percentage of infected fruit. Thus, while the percentage of moth-infected fruit of early and mid-season varieties remains much the same, a percentage of the fruit of the latter varieties will apparently be saved from the moth. " W. A. Boucher." 204. Have you anything you can say in addition to that, Mr. Boucher ? —I consider that the parasite is of no practical value for the reason I mentioned : that directly an orchard gets a sufficient percentage of clean fruit to make it worth while to send it to market the owner ships it away, and with the fruit he sends away the parasite. That actually happened at Mr. Parr's place. 205. You said just now that there were particular varieties of apples which were least subject to devastation ? —They all take the codlin-month, more or less. The Gravenstein is one that Mr. Massey mentioned. 206. Will you name such sorts as occur to you, please ?—That is the principal variety. I think the Winter Majetin is another that is less subject to codlin-moth than others. 207. There is no considerable number of varieties of apple that can be put in that category?— No. Ido not know that from a practical point of view it is really worth considering. 208. Hon. Mr. T. Kelly.] In my district the peach-trees have been entirely destroyed by a blight which attacks the young shoots and makes the bark rigid and brittle. Have you treated peach-trees at all ? —Yes. I think the most effective remedy is spraying the trees, just as the buds are swelling, with 101b. of sulphate of copper and 101b. of lime to 40 gallons of water. You will find that a very effective remedy. 209. That is, before the leaves come ? —Just as the buds are beginning to swell. I think the best time is between the 7th and the 14th August. 210. Did you find formalin very effective ?—lt is fairly effective ; but I do not rely on that so much as on the Bordeaux mixture, because the latter has an after-protective effect which other mixtures do not have. Trees that are sprayed with the Bordeaux mixture as the buds are swelling retain the protective effect of it for fully a couple of months. 211. It would not do to spray with that strength when the leaves were out ?—No, decidedly not. 212. Hon. Mr. Bowen.] You said, incidentally, that you were afraid that this Bill rather obscured a more important question, or postponed it ?—That is so. 213. What is that more important question ? —There are three very important points that ought to be considered—from my point of view, at any rate. In the first place, growers are not fully protected against the introduction of pests from outside ; and, while other countries have been increasing the scope of their Acts, we have done nothing to increase the scope of our Act for the last eight years at least. If we take the present Act, we are not protected against the introduction of diseases from outside the colony. In the second place, there is nothing to prevent the dissemination of pests from infected districts in clean districts ; and, thirdly, it is practically impossible for any one to start an orchard in any part of New Zealand without starting well stocked with pests of every description, for we have no control over them. There is nothing to prevent nurserymen from sending infected trees from their nurseries. 214. You think those points are almost more important than the codlin-moth question?—l think the codlin-moth question has really absorbed so much attention of late that other questions of vast importance have been placed in the background. 215. Mr. Bollard.] It was agreed at the last meeting that you were to supply the weight of fruit: can you do so now ?—I could, but I have not got the particulars with me. I have the total number of cases —322. 216. Have you got a book showing details of the expenses ?—I have, but I have not got it with me. 217. Does anybody audit your accounts? —I hardly think that is necessary. I think I might be trusted to keep an ordinary statement in a small way like that of a small orchard. 218. Mr. Massey.] Does the £1 2s. 9d. shown in the balance-sheet represent the whole of the expenditure for material last year?—lt does, and I have some still on hand. The reason is this : Last season I used arsenic and soda. That is very economical. A pound of arsenic and two pounds of washing-soda, which costs Bd., are sufficient for 700 gallons of lime-water. The limewater is made by using 601b. of lime to 700 gallons of water. 219. Do you think the arsenic and soda is as good as any other solution for the purposes in view ?—For general purposes I would prefer arseniate of lead. It is more expensive, but it is safer. 220. I think you stated just now that nothing had been done during the last seven or eight years in the way of giving protection to fruit-growers from the importation of insect pests : did you express an opinion to that effect ?—I might perhaps be allowed to withdraw the number of years. What I mean is this : that we are not adequately protected under the present Act from the introduction of pests from outside. Might Ibe allowed to state it in that way ?