THE CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1784, 24 January 1888, Page 4

THE CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

The "N.Z Country Journal," for the current month, haa the following reply to a subscriber's enquiry. " Yes, the plant enclosed is the so-called Californian thistle, more commonly known as the English corn tbistle (Carduus arvmsis.) Your patch being a Bmall one, It only re quires attention for a couple of years, when you will be able to eradicate It. Let it alone till it commences to bloom, which will be _'<!-»-g this month, then cut it close to thu ground, and cover the pate*) over with litter closely packed, to the j ■■1 Ti of throe feet. B&fore doing so' »ppiy a good dcs 9of salt In a Btrong dressing of carbolio sheep dip — three of water to one of dip — spare no pains to get rid of this noxious weed. It ia kept within bouuda In .Britain by constant annual wooding, a process quite beyond the reach of Colonial farmers. It does not spread rapidly In pasture lands, but it never dies out, and as soon as tbo land is again broken up, grows with Increased vigour, and nnder cultivation It will speedily take exoluslve possession of the solh Do not ( be lulled Into security, under the impression that the Corn thistle will of Itself die out, like the ordinary Scotch thistle. This latter thistle is a biennial, while the former Is a perennial. It Increases by seed as well as by the roots, but principally by the latter, every inoh of whioh will form a new plant."