THE BLACKBERRY PEST.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4642, 24 December 1923, Page 2

THE BLACKBERRY PEST.

DESTRUCTION OF PLANTS. VALUABLE INFORMATIONAL Thursday’s meeting of die Oiiinemuri County Council the fullov.i.ng intci esting information, was containeu in a letter from Mr R/L. Harris, iNew North Road, Avondale, [ Auckland:— ••1 notice by an Auckland p(tper that your council had been making experiments with a view to perman-' ent destruction of blackberry, and aa I had considerable experience in that direction during the past 24 yeargl came to the conclusion that I should write informing you of a method ,by which I killed blackberry that ytas growing on two acres of my land near Oakley Creek, New North Road, Mt. Albert. Prior to my experimenting I had seen nearly all kinds of alleged noxious weed-destroying concoctions, including Guitch’s gastar, used by Government officials for the same purpose, but only in one case have I. known the fluid to act, and that was with the Guitch’s gastar. However, the quantity used was all too costly when having to contend with an extensive growth. Personally, I am rf the opinion that up to the present there IS but one way to exterminate this obnoxious growth, and that is by cutting the blackberry down during the early part of February,-and, if possible, get a good burn-off and plough during the last two weeks of the same mouth,-the furrow to be no more than 2 to 2Ya inches deep. About the end of March put the harrows over, and again, on collecting. . burn the roots. Again plough .and crop or grass, when you will discover that few blackberry shoots will appear. When the berry is turning black that is the indicator pf.the - bulb—which of course you well know is just immediately under the soilbeing at its weakest, because the greater part of sap has gone to feed the berry and new foliage. Consequently, by treating the blackberry as I have already outlined the bulb, which in turn also feeds the roots, . has already exhausted its sap, generally dies. The removal-of the buib is the main aim, and it must be done when the plant is at its weakest. Bv ploughing shallow the sun will have an opportunity of thoroughly drying that turned over. Deep ploughing in this case is of no advantage; ui fact, it is a failure, because the blackberry bulb containing sap sends down new shoots. Where the land cannot be ploughed a light mattock or adze can be used. Once the sap commences to return to the root or bu'b there is little use in then ploughing or grubbing. In my opinion they can, if properly treated at the right tim-’, he killed. Aliy time that I have so experimented I have been successful, and where people used to gather the berries there are now none to he , seen ' I cleared about an acre nF/ solid mass, the remainder being but thin growth. Some was done aboutM four years ago and the remainder J two years ago. I am in sympathy with those who have to contend with this awful weed, and will gladly io anvthing I can to assist m getting rid of it. If any of your, representatives are down this way I shall he pleased to show them the land treat, ed. My opinion is humbly given. If yon so desire, I will forward definite wr'tren certification in substantiation of my statements from well-known public men.” The chairman, Cr. A. R. Robinson, said that it was a rare occurrence that information was so willingly supplied free of charge. It was unanimously decided to give publicity to the letter and to write and convey the council’s best thanks for the valuable information contained therein.