LUPIN-A NOXIOUS WEED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3755, 16 February 1928, Page 2

LUPIN-A NOXIOUS WEED.

BANNED BY COUNTY (WnCIL.

“To me, lupins are old friends, and I have planted them on my land to prevent sand drifts, a practice followed by many fanners in' this district. There is mo denying the fact that lupins are invaluable in preventing sand drifts. I am of the opinion that lupin should not be declared a noxious weed.”

This statement was made by Cr. McKelvie at Tuesday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council, in reply .to the Chairman’s proposal to have the plant declared a noxious weed.

Mr McKelvie’s statement will be endorsed by settlers who have to thank this nitrogenous plant for the reclamation of sand-drift, country. The good this plant has done far outweighs the evil and by no stretch of the imagination can it be compared as a noxious growth with goatsrue, gorse, blackberry, fennel, and other growths. Apart from its value in preventing sand drift, it’s annual decaying vegetation provides a rich top soil and its roots permeate the soil with nitrogen., Mr McKelvie, who, by the way, is one of the bestknorra farmers in-the county, whose experience with the plant in transforming sand-infested country is second to none, also stated that it would be useless to declare lupin a noxious weed. as it would not be cleared.

The Chairman (Mr Barber) admitted that lupin Avas valuable in preventing sand drift, “but the.plant was allowed to spread on to good land.”

Th’i§ indicates that some persons are “squatting” instead of farming their land, and the statement carries no Aveight of argument against its usefulness. The Chairman further stated that lupin was equally as noxious as gorse in this district —a serious indictment against our district farming community—but a comparison which no one with experience of the two plants will endorse. The Council, hoAvever, decided to add lupin to the list of noxious weeds.