BLACKBERRY PEST

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1925, Page 4

BLACKBERRY PEST

EXIT;DEMENTS AT W'AIDOA. GISBORNE, -May 7. Prior to his return to Wellington, Agriculture) made some interesting Dr. C. J. Brakes (Director-General of statements regarding the blackberry eradication work which is being carried out in tho district, more o.speciallv around Wairott.

Dr. Brakes .said that in addition to the extensive laboratory tests which were being undertaken by the Department. they had now secured a fortyacre experimental plot in the W'airoa district. The position with regard to blackberry in the W'airoa district had been gone into during his present visit. A great deal of control work had been done by settlers and Natives and it was gratifying to note that so good a response had been made to the efforts of the lot ill officers of the Department in their endeavour to get control work, in tho shape ol cutting, burning, etc., carried out.

('■auditions were much better than was the case two or three years ago, though of course the pest is still there and the improvement was largely in the matter ol control rather than complete eradication. One liopctul fact,.:', however, lay in the laet that complete cradicaton had been alleeted in souie eases where the plough had been used. The hilly, unploughahle areas presented tin: main problem. On some ol these parts goats had been tried, and were doing good work.

e.-uo'-iallv when following on a recent , Mttiog ,;f the blackberry. By their continual nibbling of the. young shoots the gt.uts weakened the plants, and a gradual regeneration ot the pastille m He opened-up spaces hotwen oe-,-„nd. This spare would in the ordinary course have been covered by o; rowing blackberry. / Some useful experimental work has ■lready been done in the W'airoa district in the form of testing out special spraying mixtures, and in addition to these elaborate experiments had been in progress lor some time past. I lose largely aimed at determining whatpreparations would be the most, ciiectivo while yet involving only a reasonable cost in purchase and application. An area of 10 acres, much of it hilly and nnphntghable, had been seemed for spcial held experiments based upon the results of tho laboratory work. Operations there would he commenced as sooon as possible alter some necessary fencing had been completed. 11l addition to this more or less local ascot t of the matter, the Department through its scientific offiec'i's. was probing all possible avenues of knowledge in other countries with the objei-t of gaining iii'foi inatf.ou which would he of assistance in elaborating better and mure ell'eetive methods ol Ijrjil iolt, whether by chemical methods or by the use of safe pests or blights. While the difiicnlties invoiced ill clearing unplnnghahle land by these met Imds were fully appreciated. the existence ol these diflieiilt-

ii-s was in no way acting as a deteiivnt to continual efforts on the part of the Department.

THE BOWLER’S SECRET. “ The w hole secret is fitness, my friend—a steady nerve, a clear eye, and good health. 1 know' All through [lie season I ke-p myself fresh, keen, and phvsicallv T by taking Maltcxn (Wilson’s .Malt .Extract). It’s great sLulf. Try it. and see how: well you howl.”