New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

Manawatu Herald, 13 August 1895, Page 3

New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

JOHN D. BITCHIE, Secretary. LEAFLETS FOR FARMERS, No. 18. The thistles illustrated here were all mentioned in the Second Annual Report. Two additional figures have been inserted, viz., the Yellow Star Thistle and the Milk Thistle. It is hoped that the publication of these drawings will aid settlers to recognise the plants mentioned, and so guard against their dissemination.

By T. W. Kirk, F.L.S., &c, London. Portion of flower-stalk, with leaves, natural size. (From drawings by Baron von Mueller.}

An annual, sometimes attains a height of over 2ft., very much branched, leaves partially divided ; flower-heads single, usually purplish, armed with very long, stiff, and sharp spines, and, if amongst corn or in fleeces, these inflict nasty wounds which take some time to j

Somewhat similar to the last, but not so large. The upper of sterattavea are not divided, while the lower or root one are ; plant erect, with few and slender branches ; • flowers yellow, single, and at ends of branches, with sharp, divided, . red-coloured spines. I

heal. Mr Turner, of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture, describes both this and 0, meUtcnsis as " one of the worst peßts ever introduced into the colony." Found in Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Auckland, and Wellington.

Portion of plant with leave 3, natural size, from nature. i

Found in many parts of the colony. Is certainly on the increase in pasture lands, and has been re ported from several new localitiep , during the year. Sometimes found in cornfields. (To be continued.)