WAR ON WEEDS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1741, 5 May 1913, Page 8

WAR ON WEEDS

AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM. "The statement is frequently made that tho expense necessary to eradicate weeds is often so great that il is impraeiicable to carry out any cliecHve work," fays Mr. A. [1. Cockayne, Government biologist, writing in the Journal of I lie Department of Agriculture. This statement, (says Mr. Cockayne) is nearly always made in lite case of the control of wetds on-per-manent pasture, where the great factor in weed eradication, good cultivation, cannot be taken advantage of. The problem of tho control of weeds mi such land is therefore one of considerable importance. An expenditure, no matter lion great, provided il returns a good inlcre.il on the money spent, cannot lie looked upon iu any way as a monetary loss to .tho farmer. Unfortunately, too many farmers destroy weeds merely to keep within the Act rather than as a necessary procedure in the economy of the farm. Tho work should never be regarded as a nccessary evil, but as ail investment capable of giving an absolutely certain return, often of very much greater value than the time and money speni upon it, at the same time giving a permanent and truly increased value to the properly by reason of the better carrying and selling capacity. It may be well to indicate how much can be actually spent with certainty of profit. On land worth XI an acre containing 10 *per cent of useless plants an expenditure of over 2-'. per acre will bo fully compensated if these useles.--plants are suppressed and their place taken by utility plants. Thus for every -£1 vaiuo of grazing land containing It) per cent of weeds 2s. n.n acre can bo spent with certainty of a profitable investment; that containing 20 per cent ss. can be expended; 30 per cent., Bs. 6(1.; 40 per cent, 135.; 50 per cent, <£1; (iu per cent, J!l 10s.; 70 per cent, £2 (is.; SO. per cent. ■Co; and 90 per cent, .£lO. Thus land worth «£3S an aero containing 20 per cent of weeds can have •£!) 10s. spent on it for weed-suppression, and then show a direct profit, to say nothing of tho permanent gain. From the above it can be seen that Hie control of weeds on high-class land will always bo profitable, but their control on very cheap land will depend upontho percentage of ground occupied by them. Where this is large, weed-control, even if the lnml is very cheap, is probably payable. Thus, for example, land worth „<!2 an acre containing GO per cent; or tauhinu can have per aero spent with profit in controlling this weed. These remarks refer very largely to those useless plants the presence of which is nearly always condoned by the farmer on the plea that it will not pay to deal with them. Of course, with regard to extremely noxious and' aggressive weeds, tile amount that can be spent; depends entirely on the loss in the value of the land that would occur were the weeds left in possession.

Included in tho rmiits to ho tabled at tile forthcoming conference of tho Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union are tho following from tho Paterangi branch:—(l) That the Government -be urged to make pasturisation of all milk compulsory, with a view to stamping out tuberculosis. (2) That tho need of a Milking Shorthorn Breeder-;' Society bo brought before tho provincial conference, to be formed on tho lines of the TTolstcin and Jersey societies. (3) That the Government bo urged to carry agricultural lime iu "two-ton" lots free of cost.

The Americans say: "Lots of mendodgo across the road when they see opportunity coming." Arc you one of tho cheese factory managers who lias (lodged your opportunity to instal "Victor Vats" in your factory? If so, just watch tho fellow who grasped his opportunity—seo what splendid quality cheese he is turning out—note the big profits he is earning—the "Victor" Vat has helped him to dn this—it can help you tho same. .Grasp your opportunity now—don't hesitate. Send for particulars to Albert J. Parton, Carterton.—Adyt.