CALIFORNIAN THISTLE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 27, 26 October 1918, Page 10

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE

! ■:■-'• A. METHOD OP DESTRUCTION.

';■' ■ "One of the best methods of -getting '• rid of Californian thistle on arable land" i (states Mr.„C. Braunigan, Fields'-Inspec- ! ; tor, Ashburton) "is to plough the affect- 1 I' ed ground in winter to .a depth of 9in. i, or 10in., which cuts the tap root. Then | during spring work the cultivator I through the patches once a.week, and in ' Bummer every ten clays) never allowing ! any shoots to grow. . Early in Februi- arf-sow the ground with Algerian oats, |. -which should be ready for feeding off i •■in-May. If desired, the crop may then l.be left to ripen, and in a favourable i season can be harvested before the i thistles (if any are left) come to the stage. This applies ,only to \ Algerians and Euakura oat,' which nn- | turo early, other varieties 'being too ! late in ripening. Mr. Williams, Sf jJlaronnn, was the first to draw my e.t----j ; tention .to ;this method. He claims that ! by its- means it is easier to kill the \\ thistle than twitch, and numerous other' j' : farmers I have spoken to have been | equally successful. These'remarks deal [ 'specially with the Ashburton district, ;'• but doubtless will apply to many other ii "parts of the Dominion."