THE “YELLOW PERIL” IN H.B.

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 12 (Supplement)

THE “YELLOW PERIL” IN H.B.

pread of RagwoNeeds Checking DR. ANNETT’S VIEWS From report# received from Hawke’s 3a y motorists who have recently returned from touring during the holidays, it is apparent that the spread of ragwort in many districts Is still being allowed to continue practically uncontrolled. For this state of affairs the individual farmer must accept a considerable part of the responsibility. A motorist who returned from the southern end of the Bay of Plenty a few days ago reports a very rapid spread on the river flats at the mouth of the Motu river. The road to Te Kaha is down this section, and holi-day-makers who have journeyed to Te Kaha and beyond state that the weed has secured a dangerous hold there. Large Areas of Weed. Another traveller who returned during the week-end states that large areas were noticed at Lake Rotoiti and between Mamaku and Tirau. There was one particularly large patch on the roadside past the lake. Between Mamaku and Tirau the patches were in hilly and neglected sections, with little on the regularly grazed farm lands on either side of the Uamaku hills. The weed was in full flower, and no action seemed to have been taken to prevent its spread to the clean properties close at hand. Dr. H. E. Aanett, of Matangi, who was a resident of Hastings some years ago, sums up the position as far as the spread of ragwort is concerned in the following letter:— * ‘We read a great deal about the ragwort menace, and at various meetings of farmers resolutions are passed calling on the Government to take action in the matter. Very valuable work is being undertaken by some of our scientific workers in New Zealand. It is not sufficiently realised, however, that unless the individual farmer does his best to control this weed the efforts of the scientific workers must fail. "There are areas in New Zealand vhere the weed has got beyond the control of individual farmers, and ono •ympathises with the occupants of such areas. Personally lam much more concerned about the rapid spread oI ragwort in our intensely farmed dairying areas. The spread here is mainly iue to the carelessness of individual farmers, tiix years ago specimens ©i agwort were rare around Matangi. Today the area is heavily infested. The reason is not far to seek. There are thousands of ragwort plants in full flower within a mile or so of the Matangi factory. I mention Matangi because I live there, but the same applies to many other intensive dairying dis‘ricts. Danger Not Realise a. "Many of the farmers do not realise the danger. Each flowering plant of ragwort gives rise to thousands of seeds, each with a ring of silky burrs, enabling it to float long distances, and hence the area infected spreads rapidly. I maintain that there is no excuse for the number of ragwort plants to be seen in full flower in areas such as these. Directly a ragwort plant flow - irs, it is a conspicuous object and a good farmer should consider it a disgrace to himself to let it remain. The flowers should not be cut and allowed to lie or the seed sets. They should be collected in a sack and burned or buried at intervals. I feel that it is merely thoughtlessness on the part of farmers which allows these flowering plants to remain, and I trust this letter may help to improve the position. "To my mind the man with a few flowering ragwort plants near his house deserves a penalty even more than the man with a large area of rag'rort in n heavily-infested district. Unless this warning, offered in the best interests of farmers, is taken to heart damage due to the spread of ragwort will b*» irreparable. ’ r