ERADICATION OF FERN.

Shannon News, 31 August 1923, Page 2

ERADICATION OF FERN.

What he describes as proniising to be an important discovery has recently been made, in the North, in connection with the eradication, of fern, by Mi) G. Ev Alderton, who has just returned from the north. He states that with the advent of the railway and cheaper manure,, several settlers started to topdress their lands with manure, and a few top-dressed t-h,eir fern land, throwing the manure right over the fern, so that it would be washed into the soil and bring up the grass through the fern. The result was somewhat surprising. In a few weeks it was found that the cattle and sheep attacked the fern, and nibbled it right down close to the ground. This was not a singular case, but bas happened wherever the fern has. been top-dressed. Apparently the manure on the fern -has a. sweetening or “buttering” effect, and makes the fern readily edible. It is necessary to Mr Alderton that the stock has not been crushed on to the i'ern land and forced to eat it, but the results described' have been obtained on rich volcanic pasture land, with patches of fern surrounded by good English grasses. The fern is not merely nibbled, hut is. eaten down to within a few inches of the ground, and in one case entirely by sheep. It is too early to give an opinion as to what the -result will be on the stock feeding in this way, but (there is no question as to the stock attacking the fern when top-dressed with manure. The manure used in one case was the ordinary top-dressing mixture supplied by a freezing company,, and in the other basic slag was used. Further experiments will prove what is the best manure to use for the purpose, and the most economical method of applying it.

Mr Alderton says, he considers this discovery will have a very important bearing, because during the last few years, through under-stocking end the increase of dairying, a good deal of Hand ba.s gone back into fern. Topdressing - certainly revolutionised the Waikato, and he thinks it may have a twofold effect in the north of eradicating fern as well as manuring the ground. The results referred to are to be seen in the Okaihau district, Bnv of Islands, particularly on Mr F. Nixon’s farm. Several settlers are now carrying on further experiments in that district.—New Zealand Herald.