EXTERMINATION OF THE THISTLE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 749, 25 August 1876, Page 3

EXTERMINATION OF THE THISTLE.

The Berlin correspondent of ‘ Land and Water,’ referring to the expedient adopted in Germany in the extermination of the thistle says:—“ Whoever knew of two plants being so inimical to one another as to kill the other by a mere touch ? This, however, seems to be the case when rape grows near the thistle. If a field is infested by thistles, give it a turn of rape seed, and this plant will altogether starve, suffocate and chill the thistles out of existence. A trial was made with different varieties of rape seed in square pilots, when it was found that the whole ground was full of thistles, and nobody believed the rape seed was having a fair run. But it had, and as the rape grew the thistle vanished, faded, turned grey, and dried up as soon as the rape leaves began to touch it. Other trials were then made in flower pots and garden beds, and the thistles always had to give in and was altogether annihilated whether old and fully developed or young and tender.” It is well-known that rape is one of our best plants for fattening sheep, and we can speak from experience as to its value for pigfeeding. We would advise that in grassland, where thistles are bad, that a strong harrowing be performed so as to admit the rape seed to the soil, and then a good rolling to cover it, otherwise we fear the seed will not take root. If the laud is hilly, chip in the seed with a hoe. We would not, of course advise the trial on a large scale at first; try a patch or two, and should that succeed, then go in for larger measures. There is one advantage in making the trial, nothing can possibly bo lost by growing rape, at least by those who have stock to consume it. We cannot speak experimentally as to the value of rape for cattle—never having tried it—but we do think that what is good for feeding sheep and pigs, must be also good for cattle.