Business Notes Agriculture

One year ago, citrus canker was found in young orange trees at a nursery in Avon Park, Fla. Ever since, state and federal agricultural officials have fought a widening battle to eradicate the deadly bacterial disease, last seen in Florida half a century ago. The canker now threatening the state's $1.2 billion citrus industry is resistant to every remedy except fire. But even after spending $24 million and burning nearly 9 million trees, officials are finding the canker in new locations. In the past month alone it has turned up in three nurseries and an orange grove.

Last week Florida took a still more drastic step to halt the epidemic: it quarantined the state's 300 commercial citrus nurseries. Said Charles Poucher, director of the state's canker project: "It causes an extreme hardship on nurserymen, but it had to be done because we can't live with citrus canker."

Though the disease is harmless to humans, it spreads easily, carried on clothing and equipment, even on windblown rain. To prevent the canker from spreading beyond its borders, Florida has also forbidden growers to ship fruit to other citrusproducing states.