THE NOXIOUS WEED “LANTANA”

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 117, 11 February 1919, Page 6

THE NOXIOUS WEED “LANTANA”

Sir,-The first time I called at Hono lulu, some 20 years since, .the noxious shrill) lantana. was spreading over the Hawaiian Islands so (hat nffriculture had liecome difficult and unprofitable. \\ hen I called thero again 691110 years later I found that tho American Government! had introduced a parasite wluch was destroying the shrub. In company with some lady friends we saw how successful this attempt had linen, and conic, alsp see the ruin this plant had made. It was feared that the parasitte having destroyed the lantana on which it lived would prey upon iu»d destroy some profitable plant. Notwithstanding this evidence, when our ship was. leaving, I noticed that some of the ladies had brought on Jioard with them some of the plants with the intention of cultivating theni 111 our iNorth Island, as they thought that such pretty flowerin" shrubs would look so nice in their gardens. With some difficulty I persuaded them to throw the pests overboSiVi(s6 then I have made several visits' to Queensland, and have seen that wherever the clearings had been allowed to go out of cultivation lantana was spreading densely, and I would strongly advise that the nlant should be eradicated compnlsorily, and that, any person having one on his property should be fined. I believo that lantana will thrive 111 the ; warmer parts of this nonunion. After our exDerience of rabbits, blackberry, and sweet briar, we should, tako/no risks-1 am, etc., TKOMAS CLATtK. Hawke's Bay, February 1.