THE PURPLE FOXGLOVE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1343, 22 January 1912, Page 8

THE PURPLE FOXGLOVE.

A DANGEROUS WEED. The dangers of tho purple foxglove aro expounded as follow by Mr. F. W. If. Kummor, of Mauricevilie, in a letter to an exchange:—"[ feel it my duty to ask you to warn settlers in the Wairarapa of a very dangerous weed, which is rapidly spreading in this part of'the Dominion. The purple foxglove, unless taken in hand at once, will, in a short time, become a curse compared to which blackberry, California!! thistle, and all the rest of our weeds will seem insignificant and harmless. Nothing will eat it, and it grows so dense that it takes complete, possession. A friend and eight or nine neighbours helped a. new chum (who had bought a 'farm) for a week or more, and did their best lo impress him with the need of constant vigilance. lie did nothing' for about three years, and now his holding is absolutely worthless. Tho hillsides, instead of being green at this time. of year, are a deep purple colour, which can be seen for mites. The foxglove is an annual, and can be easily pulled out of the ground, but one year's seeding means no less than ten or twelve years' weeding. In this respect, it re- - seinbles its near relative, the giant burdock (commonly known as Maori tobacco). The wend is spread mainly bv sheep carrying the seed in their wool, and a few plants seeding close to a sheep track will cause an enormous amount of trouble. So much so that my friend and his brother have decided to "weed 1500 acres three times a year without hired assistit is impossible to get men who will fossick rough country thoroughly, especially in hot weather. It will impress sheep-formers all the more to he told that their store sheep will bo tabooed 'in the saleyards, when the danger becomes more known, compelling a foxglove-stricken estate to fatten all its surplus sheep. Where do they come from? will' be the first question asked at any saleyard. At the last meeting of the Mnuriceville County Council, which I attended, I induced the members to proceed to have this weed proclaim"!! in the first schedule under the Noxious-Weeds :Acfe and F' understand steps are being taken to have this done. But unless our neighbours in Masterton and Eketahuna do likewise, and that promptly,. there is serious trouble ahead."