EXIT RAGWORT

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1930, Page 6

EXIT RAGWORT

SURE SPECIFIC PROCLAIMED. The death knell of the ragwort-men-ace seems to have been sounded. With the declaration b the Department of Agriculture that a sure specific for stamping out this invader of the farm and incidentally of the (farmers’ purse, has been found, it now only requires application of the mixture know as sodium chlorate to clear the country of this yellow peril. The Department’s experiments have extended over a couple of years and the assurance is given that ‘ Where the remedy is used according to the simple directions ragwort will be no more. A special merit which sodium chlorate possesses is that it has no deleterious effect either on pastures or stock. It acts, in fact, as a tonic to stock. A demonstration of this weedkilling solution was recently given by Mr McPhee, an officer of the Agricultural Department, at a farm a few miles from Hamilton, in the presence of a number of farmers. Three weeks before Mr McPhee had sprayed a thick patch of ragwort on the sanies farm. The plants, to all appearances, w-ere quite dead when examined three weeks later. Some of the roots were dug up. These mostly seemed blackened and rotted and where there were still slight signs of life, decomposition had commenced. The process of application is simple Sodium chlorate, is a white powder which can be sprinkled lightly on the plants, merely a pinch to each, or can be mixed with water in the proportion of lib to two gallons, which gives a 5 per cent solution. The solution is the more economical method when used through a fine nozzle spray from a container strapped on the back. The process is .simple and effective, and a very large area can he covered in a day by this method. The powder is fairly cheap ranging from 6d to 4d per lb, according to the quantity purchased. It can now be obtained from most farmers’ supply stores. It is estimated that an acre can be sprayed at a cost of from 15s to £l. Further demonstrations will he carried out in ary districts which express a desire for them, as the Department is anxious net only that the specific should became widely known, but universally applied. i