Clearing Noxious Weeds

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 April 1910, Page 4

Clearing Noxious Weeds

A MAGISTRATE'S VIEWS. In a recent Nelson case of failure to clear noxious weeds, Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., pointed out that the Noxious Weeds Act made it clear that tho proper season to clear weeds was before they flowered. 11ns point cannot be too strongly emphasised. In itlie tinse of giorso and broom, which do not spread so very fast, suppression can be deferred to the winter, when the farmer has more time to deal with them, but not such disastrous pests as Californian thistles, ragwort, and ox-eye daisv. They must be dealt with at the right time-just before they flower; and the persistent cutting of Californian thistle and ragwort is certainly the most effective means available of eradicating them. Patches of the former have been exterminated outright by continued cutting within two years, but this has been on stiff sou witn a clay bottom-in the Kairanga country. On a deep loamy soil it would be not such an easy matter. Southern experience is all in favour of persistent cutting. Cultivation is worse than useless unless heavy crops can he carried on the laud for some time and, thus cause the Weed to be smothered out.