NOXIUS WEEDS.

Shannon News, 31 December 1929, Page 4

NOXIUS WEEDS.

CHEMTOAL AGENTS WILL DESTROY THEM.

"If present anticipations are realised, the Field Division feels sure an end is in sight to many of th£ weed problems confronting the farmer at the present day," stated Mr J. W. Deem, Directors of the.'Fields-Division of the Department of Agriculture, referring to experiments on the chemical control of noxious weeds at Palmcrston North. : ' ■

The Field Division had recently obtained from overseas small consignments of sodium chlorate and calcium chlorate, with a view to gathering firsthand knowledge of the effectiveness if these chemicals as controllants of noxious weeds, he said. The material had only been received a short time ago, but quite a comprehensive series.of experiments had already been put in hand. Sodium chlorate and calcium chlorate were being tried out first, mainly on ragwort, Californian thistle,-goat's rue' and blackberry. "The results'to date of the applications made are distinctly promising," declared Mr. Deem, '' and the question of at what strength, and at what time of application the spray Solutions , give best results are now being worked out. The chemicals mentioned, being -nonpoisonous to stock, certainly' promise well.. At present commercial supplies are not available in New but if the results of the present experiments are satisfactory, arrangements for full supplies will be made before next'sebson."