WAIRARAPA HORSES POISONED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 8

WAIRARAPA HORSES POISONED.

yC ,'.fi' : WEED.'';."":;;., :'■; A-.■ report came "through from ' the yy Wairarapa a few!.clays ago.stating.that ,:•■ ft/farmor there'had-lost several horses.; ..;It_.was .suspected.that"they -had. been' : ;poisoned' through'-;.eating some, weed.; •;:'/• It; has 'since ,been .ascertained .that the, ■ -y. : growth ''is Strathinore weed: >Tho plant V\.. caused .'trouble'- in ;the Wajrarapa a ■:■'■-■] couple of 'years. and ten 'years ago ■i : 'y of' an investigation: ;m f. *;', Tarariaki.,; : ; The native 'namb -isV : ma- : :.■;' .taikairangi, and, the. colonial names of. vl.Cthe-. tiyo -, spells pimelea ■;-. lyallic;'■' and; '-/. ;Opiinelea;:prostrata.r; • V. ! ;i ;^vMr.; T. :W/Kirk;;biologist inJto New r'-Zealand,,'.Department.,,of -Agriculture, ';.■■'" issued,- a leaflet /dealing : ' with the :■ weed v ; ;;;in:.l9po.'-: : ': ■.:. : '-' : ' y- r " ■'■ ■: .';':"':. Thd.ipublic'ation/read:; "Seeing a;.re-'. ~.;; port'-in';: "the .newspapers: that ".some. '';.;■ '-horses' hadvbeenv'pbisoiied'.in.:,Taranaki'; ':■;: ; province; through 'eating a; plant locally' )'■;■ ' .known as- '.'Strath'nipre weed," I-wrotV

y{- * 'at 'o? ■ y'ffera; •asking;;him>:toJendeavbuf-' to .as-;: ..' •' for. me:;specimens "of\the'.plant/supposed Ji/l/tp be: causing/the • trbuDle^- 1 ~\":'---Vj: '■'.'''■..■'''-?.'■ f -: gardingi'StrathmoreV weed:. : :l^ ajh'.' • foiy «;iwaTaing ' j'theJiiStratii-: Vj!(morejWe€d/ f 'l;;int«rviewM':Mr;;iHewer,:: .the?matter;- l |: ;- : ;:;?fprmsT me vthatvthe;'weed;■ is yery. ..■■j'i'ijuripus'.tti: ttrange\ , hpVTOs7;raid. , jthat l '. : -'a's';-, \'V;;.aXTOle'i' -again. rHe* ■./■' has 'had,- several -horses \ bad;y and- , lost i;); ; three orvfbur ;:one: ; Uvtely.v;Krst;symp 7 ' i:\\ torns .-noted-', are" Joss;;bf,; appetite,/; dVil- - - ness; : :then ! - tremors; '^staggering';;■'/. dis-. i/irtrwsfd^brw&ingj^and'i^allyj'-fallihgj;- , '. /,-. , convulsioiis,' ; 'and; death. | '•■:';.:liprsp;will'iliye -for' ; thiee•'or';ipuf.days;' 'v ; s-'l»fpre;;:gpmg/dp^ ■',;;i recoyer:t,Eeem/V.tp;<;dp ,'.,we!l; afterwards; ■ ';^ r Mr; Hewer.statesithat.'they l neveivhave l ?.\".autumn. . '?<£'■■''■ ':.-■. -'.' : ,■'•■■ '::■■')':'; Aboirt;;^ree;weeks ,: ;later;Sir; ; Orbell ':"■■;: wroteo;as '■'. follows :■/;' 'Enclosed.;you - will ~:v;find "another j; sample ■ of, : '.Strathmore ; •; - weed,,;.in'flower,:.and.'alsp". : seecl." from, effects'(supposed)' last ;;vvweekjjliere." v ; : '::-i-y:;-j ;v;-:r'v^::?,::?;:: '!fr y : proved to' ;;y.twp; _s,pecies. of inatiye,,plants, ipimelea, i..;:lyallii!.and.E.. , to: my;'colleague, : '-'i'Mri.-''v'BivO^'AsionJOagriciiltufal, chemist, ;• -.attached : :to';this;..'l)epartmentj. : with : '. a v., request ■that..hef would test: it, with .a .".;::. vim. v to".-, detecting 7the toxic ;principle, ; Hβ;: reports;that, ; ; thpugh; the: ;.: ! . sample, was too.small:to allow of a comr. .'■yfj.plete examination,: /•ho'madfcanA'-.alco-. :;i ! holio.. extract, which contained a■ volp- v y:'i.'. tile pnngerit' principle. -.'. •£-. 'guinea-pig': ~'.: was. dosed: at' night /with less th'an '82gr.. "';.■ of ;■ crude:alcoholic , 'extract made.up/'vfith''. ;.,-;;. this .water; jn the morning ;it-was dead; ; .. ;If _ a small portion of. this'plant, -or ':■ '.its- : relatiye P.. prostrata,. be chewed-, it . -.'•".! causes, 'a.. burning '■' sensation : '.' in ■; the..' 'i\.. thrpat,' i and '..this, ■.■"sensation.';-/ 'lasts. fo'r"': ;\i;.. someihours;. There: appeais,; therefore,' f:-. to ; ; be'good:, ground'for :regardinK this ',-■ plant as: dangerous./': ; A.'..considerable. ,v. guantity : is. being \ secured for- furtheri , y :<■-.. .'";,;.^-V 1 :■■;,:/;'::/ \;/ :--'- :; V- '^':iA, : number of. instances -"of; poisoning :;i; ; by' piinelea .are -reported 'from Austra T i :,■ ■■. liaji.. but: this', '.is .■■the; first:. : instance ■ i/-.brought uridor my;notice in _tliis colony/; .'■;:■ '.It: would be. well-to destroy the-.bushes '.■J'i in'pasture wherever possible'. .'-:':■.''■ '~ :'/■.;VvTna" drawing 'attached , shows leaves,' •'•■•■ flowers, /and w00d, ,- - natural •■ size,,'and :.-', should; ileaye; no -'difficulty:'..'iii■ ;-'■-. 'i^^. identifying ; thp : plant.:- ;■ He.inowe'rs.are, : . .white and- , waxy. \}"\ / ;, ■ '':■ V ;; .;' .-;/. ■