“Othonna Abrotanifolia.”

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 250, 23 March 1906, Page 2

“Othonna Abrotanifolia.”

How little is really known of the true inwardneee of plant life amongst those whose bssinese it ehonld be to know, was brought to our notice by a Hettier recently. In a seedsman's catalogue of herbaceous plants is a notice that for the small sum of one hillirg could be obtained a plant under the high-sounding name of Othonua Obrotanifolia ; it is described as a winter blooming, pretty yellow fl >wer produced in great profusion, height about 30 inches. Although some of OurTe Rau-a-moa and PironJn West friends are eutbn-matio gardener®, and take greß pride in beauty and abundance of >beir flowers, this notice is entirely wasted on them -they draw the line at puying «o‘ for this particular plant. The advertising seedsman will never a ahillliug of their money, advertise neyer so attractively; as a matter of fac’ the O.A. is in ihtir gardens now, hundreds of ’em, and did not in the Bast instance cost a shilling a plant to pot them there—what the cost will b.» before the last of them is seen is another -natter, may be the settlers now on the gr -u«3 will not stop to reckon it up And ontside the garden fence there are more, hundreds ot thousands more, and Ircallv the plant is known as the too familiar ragwort. To a settler resting on a stump after a few hours grubbing ragwort, the fact that some other follow is possibly retailing bis enemy at a shilling each, would bring about a 'shock of emotions that might result »n a nasty bump. The thought might flash through his mind that by underselling, say at one penny each, he might soon become a millionare, but ou r second’s reflection the idea would be rejected, for the business would no sooner be starred than competition would cut up the profits, his neighbours would be glad to do trade at one penny the cartload. The next thing that would strike him would be the possibility that in this catalogue of plants might be some other that under certain conditions would prove equally pretty, hardy, prolific and pestiferous. Seedsman’s catalogues want editfng by someone who knows. But who knows ? it is only after experience of what a nuisance a plant can become under conditions favourable to its growth that we become wise. Who once would have believed that the pretty narcissus could have stopped the navigation of some of America’s mile wide rivers ? On this subject, as on many others, we all have to plead, like the famous Dr Johnson, “ Ignorance, Sir, Ignorance.”