The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1887. THE CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1586, 16 June 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1887. THE CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

For some time past agriculturists have been paying attention to what threatens to become a new source of loss to them and that is the Californian thistle. This weed grows with very great rapidity j and as it is very easily prorogated it quickly spreads m any district m which it gets a firm hold It is to the interest of farmers that where this weed makes its appearance ir should be immediately eradicated. It has been reported to us that a farmer 1 m this county has some land on which this thistle is growing and that he is ( taking no steps to destroy the pest.' The tnan's neighbors, it is said, have remonstrated with him, but all to no use. We do not know if our informant's story is true. Possibly the weed m question is not the Californian thistle at all, but if it is the owner of the land on which it has taken a hold should certainly set to^ work to eradicate it. If the seeds get abroad it is impossible to say what the damage and loss to land-owners might be, because a worse pest to the agriculturist it wonld be hard to find. Power is* grven to County Councils to take "the action necessary to secure the effectnre dealing with any matter of the k«ad. Clause 292 of the Counties Act says "The Council may from time to, time contribute out of the general funds of the County such sum or sums of money as may be deemed necessary to expend for the purpose of eradicating or preventing the spread of any noxious weed or plant, and. before enforcing or concurrently with the enforcement of any bylaw made lor such purpose shall use all necessary means to eradicate such weed or plaint from all roads, river beds, reserves, and land under the control of the County."