PRICKLY PEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1928, Page 8

PRICKLY PEAR.

QUEENSLAND’S PROBLEM. WORK OF ERADICATION. DESTRUCTION BY INSECTS. “Prickly pear, which has been called ‘the curse of Queensland, is slowly being eradicated,” said Mr. L. B. Borland, a Queensland pastoralist, who arrived by the Aorangi to-day op his way to America.

Mr. Borland said that the prickly pear had ravaged tremendous areas of the best land there, and for many years the problem of coping with it had been discussed. Many experiments had been made by the Government in an endeavour to find a solution of a trouble which was becoming more widespread as time went on.

Air. Borland, who has a farm of 67,000 acres in the Roma district, said that of late considerable success had been met with by the introduction of a grub with an unpronouneable name and the cochineal insect. Both attacked the prickly pear in great style, and were doing such wonderful work that complete success was hoped for. He said that the Queensland pastoralists were regarding the battle that was now on with the liveliest interest, and it was felt that at last a remedy had been found for one of the greatest menaces that that part of Australia fiad been faced with.