Christmas tree pests and weeds Douglas fir, grand fir, white fir and California red fir on Christmas trees in Santa Clara County. Camellias imported from California to British Columbia in 2003 and early 2004 caused a significant SOD scare in the horticultural and Christmas tree industries. The detection of "P. ramorum" led to plant recalls in Canada, and a series of steps meant to quarantine the disease before it spread. The 2003–2004 SOD scare extended to Washington and Oregon nurseries and farms. Douglas-firs are vulnerable to the two plant pathogens that cause Rhabdocline needlecast, "Rhabdocline pseudotsugae", and "Rhabdocline weirii". "R. weirii" affects only Douglas-fir trees.
Henry Bloom Noble finding work as a customs official. His first connection with Douglas was due to his association with Alexander Spittall, father of James Spittall, a Douglas advocate. The elder Spittall was a wine and spirits merchant, whose principal place of business was Whitehaven, Cumbria, although he had a branch established in Douglas. Noble was employed by Spittall as a clerk, rising to the position of manager in 1835, moving to Douglas with his mother. The Nobles took residence in a house belonging to Spittall on the south side of St Barnabas' Square. Noble did not stay in the employ of Spittall