New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

Manawatu Herald, 25 January 1894, Page 3

New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

JOHN' D. Ti ITCH IK, Secretary. LEAFLETS FOR* FARMERS, No. 7.

With a view to disseminating as widely ; t farmers and others, ib has been decided to [_ trated leaflets, giving in as brief a form a* able on the subject treated of. May, 189 U.

Xbiß is another very undesirable introduction, recently imported 'in ballast. It is a native of Australia, where it is commonly known as three cornered jack, on account of the three stout spines at the angles of the fruit. Mr F, Turner, the Botanist to the Department of Agriculture New South Wales, has lately adopted the name j of cats' heads, Mr R. Scobie, M.P., having suggested it in consequence of the supposed remblance which the fruit bears to the resemblance to the faoe of a cat. The plant is prostrate, and spreads in all directions ; some of the stems gathered have measured just over 2ft in length, thus a single plant will cover a circle of 4ft in diameter. In | Australia the stems are sometimes half as long again. The shape of, the leaves is well shown in the cut, which also exhibits the manner in which the numerous three cornered spiny 'f raits are borne. The plant is spreading in Australia, and in some parts has over-run , pflpaddocks to such an extent as to j render them practically useless for grazing purposes. Its introduction to New Zealand is much to be deplored. Mi' F. Turner, in his report on cherplant Bays, "On rich alluvial lands bordering rivers or lagoons the stem lengthens out very much ; one plant aldne will sometimes cover a piece of ground 6ft in diameter. Jjike many other prostrate growing plants, the Emex smothers the more tender herbage, such as grasses, &c, within the radius of its growth. Nor is this all, for in the autumn and winter months, when the plants die out, large bare patches, strewn with spiny fruits, are left as the only indication where they grew. These frui's, which are armed with three long, rigid, thick spines, are really dangerous- and from experience I can say painful, if the spine enters the flesh— both to man and beast, often causing some trouble to the salivary glands of the latter when browsing in pasture where this plant grows plentifully. Therefore no

as possible information useful to issue from time to time illuspoapible the informal-ion availjotin J). jiiTrim:.

pains should be spared to exterminate this weed pest from pasture before it has an opportunity to produce seed. The most expeditious way to effect this, where the plants have not taken full possession oi the land, is to provide a workman with an ordinary ; draw-hoe with which to cut the ,' plants just below the crown, when | thoy first make their appearance in the spring time. A little attention given to these plants when first they are observed in pastures wonld probably save years of toil, which become needful if they are allowed to grow at their own sweet will for a few years. Where pastures have become over-fun with the pest, the best thing that I could recommend would be to put the land in fallow for a time, and as tho seed germinates, scarcify the ground which will destroy them before they have an opportunity to produce seed. This may be an expensive undertaking, but is it not much better to nip the evil in the bud than allow the pest to over.-run the best lands in the country, which it assuredly will if allowed to grow on unchecked? Where the Emex is allowed to grow on undisturbed it produces a phenomenal amount of seed, and although the seeds are heavy still they are easily disseminated by pasture animals, as the spines will cliny to any wool or hairy substance, and by such agencies may aften be carried miles from the plant that bore them, so that it is easy to account for the widely extended area of its occupation. Moreover, the floods are agencies wherewith the seeds might be distributed." From Mr Turner's account, and an examination of the drawings, it will readily be understood what a very dangerous plant this is, and it ought nofe to be necessary to urge settlers to keep a sharp look out and destroy the plant as soon as they appear. I can fully endorse Mr Turner's remarks regarding the painful wounds inflicted by the spines of the fruit. . ! T. W. Kirk. I December 11th, 1893.