New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

Manawatu Herald, 30 April 1903, Page 3

New Zealand Department of Agriculture.

John D. .Ritchie, Secretary.

LEAFLETS FOR FARMER-?. THE RAGWEED, RAGWORT, GIANT GROUNDSEL {Senecio jacoheua.)

Under the name of “ ragwort,” “ ragweed,” or “ giant groundsel.” this species of Senecio ie unfortunate but too well known, especially in the southern portion of the colony. It is a handsome plant, growing from 1 It. to 6 ft. in height. The leaves, both root and stem, are much divided ; this may be eeen by a glance at the illustrations The handsome yellow flowers are carried in dense masses at the top of the branches.^

Ragwort occupies many square miles of rich country in Southland, and, being a, free seeder, has rapidly spread, and is still spreading throughout the colony. It is propagated both by seed and roots. * The.peculiar fatal complaint amongst horses known as the “ Winton disease ” was attributed to this weed, and it was stated that no case of the disease appeared except where ragwort was growing. On the other hand, it was also admitted that the plant occupied very large areas over which horses and cattle graze with impunity. I have hitherto opposed the ragwort theory, pointing out that both m the Dieted Kingdom and in this colony the young plants were kept down by feeding off with sheep; that the larger stock would not eat it, save possible a few leaves by the me reaccident; that I had examined raicrospically the contents of the stomach of a horse which had died of “Winton dis-ease,”'and-tbe excreta of a horse suftering from that complaint, but without finding any trace of ragweed. “ Winton disease ” has puzzled the veterinarians for many years {yids Annual Reports of this Department, 18 ;4 > and each subsequent year). Mr Gilruth has continued his researches and experiments, and the conviction is growing in his mind that after all ragwort is at the bottom of the trouble • Whether this Senecio does or does not cause the death of horses and cattle, there can be no doubt that it inflicts great loss on farmers, gradually but surely taking possession of much good land. There is scarcely a district In the colony from which I have not received specimens, and from each year by year comes the complaint that the weed is spreading. The earnings of large areas of land are reduced from 25 to 75 per cent, by the presence of this one weed. Yet, tilt last season nothing was done to check its advance. lam frequently asked, WM can be done to keep it under control ? Where it is possible to keep infested pastures well stocked with sheep while the plant is young, no trouble will be experienced; they, as already mentioned, will keep the pest in subjection. When this cannot be adopted, recourse must be had to frequent cutting before the plant flowers and prevents leaves growing, this will was placed in the Second Schedule of the Noxious Weeds Acts, passed in 1900, and has been proclaimed a “ weed ” in the following districts: AkUfo, Eketahuna, Kiwitea, Waipa, Bruce, Hutt, Manawatu, Pahiatua, and L Stratford Counties ; Cambridge, Greytown, Hamilton. Invercargill, Roxburgh, * Riverton, Winton, Queenstown, Gore. Mataura, Rangiahua, Raagiabua, Ran* riora'and KibikihiSoroughs; Egmont Heathcot Hunua, Kmkmroa, Maraeti, Baneanui, Tauranga, Waitara West, Waipipi, Moa. Waimate (Hawera), MaagotJland Waiwakaibo Roap Districts. In some of the above really good work wai recently performed fn checking the spread of the pest.