BIDI-BIDI.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1926, Page 4

BIDI-BIDI.

A TROUBLESOME AY RED. Agriculturists, and particularly woolgrowers, will he interested in some investigations. made recently by the Department of Agriculture, which . seem to point to the discovery of a natural enemy of that troublesome weed, bidibidi. The presence of this vegetable pest in large quantities on sheep runs is well known to reduce greatly the selling value of wool.' Recently the Department received a report from Air AY. If. Afontgomory. of Little River, to tile effect that hidiliidi was disappearing on certain hillsides in the district, and particularly in the Pulia Valley. Air F. E. Ward. Instructor in Agriculture, investigated tlio matter, and was "told by Afr J. .McGowan that on certain faces the bidi-bidi had blackened, and bad almost disappeared; whilst in other it was still flourishing* Afr Ward found that remnants of the plant, in the localities whore they had blackened still remained, and at the roots of these remnants lie discovered several forms of insect life. Specimens of these Mere forwarded to the Government mycologist at Wellington, who reported that of these insects a orano fly larva was most likely in have been responsible for the condition of the pinnis.

The result of these investigations opens lip the possibility of the introduction of this natural enemy in districts badly infested with bidi-bidi and the ultimate exterininaton of the weed.