MENACE ON FARMS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 2

MENACE ON FARMS

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE CONCERN IN TARANAKI The rapidity with which the Californ-

lan thistle appears to be obtammg a hold, particularly on the open lands in the Egmont county and throughout the whole of Taranaki and. indeed, the Dominion was .regarded as a very serious menace by_ members of the Egmont County Council, which after very considerable discussion yesterday decided to draw the attention of the Agricultural Dipartment to the spread of the pest and to ask what steps were being taken to deal with it throughout New Zealand. Several councillnrs consldered Californian thistle should be declared a noxious weed within the county so that farmers could be compelled to cut it, but a resolution to that effect was defeated. The means by which the vveed had been introduced to Taranaki, the best mcthods to be adopted to prevent its | spread in view of the lack of definite knowledge about the best method of exterminating it, were touched on during the discussion which arose when a letter was received from Mr. E. K. Cameron, secretary. stating that at a recent meeting of the executive concern was expressed regarding the general spread of Californian thistle in the district and that it was derided to take definite action. Rapid Spread. Members of the executive were very ccncerned at the rapid spread of the thistle, particularly in the Waimate j county, said Cr. W. A. Sheat. and thoughi it was recognised that there was conflict| of opinion about the best method ofl getting rid of the weed, it was consideredj that local bodies might be able to take: control and see that it was cut in time ' to prevent the seed from spreading. | It was certainly spreading rapidly and unless steps were taken to check it the j thistle would become as great a pest asj ragwort, which they were now getting in check, said the chairman, Mr. W. C. Green.

Ragwort was a poisonous weed, whereas cattle would eat Californian thistle, said Cr. A. J. Lilley, who strongly advocated it being declared a noxious weed. He held that if it were cut in the fiowering stape. it woulcl be prevented from seeding. In fact. he held that such cutting would kill it because the water got into the hollow stem and rottcd it. In Ene'~->'1 fermer.s were compelled to cut it before seeding. The weed could be cut. on the fiat open land, but not in the hill country, said Cr. J. S. Tosiand. who expressed the opinion that the weed had been introduced in the grass seed bought from the South Island for sowing down pastures. It appeared mostly in newly sown land. Ti.e necessity for securing the best Poverty Bay rye could not be stressed too much. He considered, however, that if farmers wanted to keep it out of the open country they must not plough. Farmers were faced with the menace of | ragwort and blackberrv, which they were coping with very well, and he would not like them to get panicky over Californian thistle. Was it possible to get absolutely clean seed? askpd Cr. J. Young. He held that

it would be foolish for the council to declare Californian thistle a noxious weed unless similar action were taken everywhere in New Zealand. He considered the council should draw the attention of the Agricultural Department to the menace and ask what experiments had been made with a view to ascertaining the best. method of dealing with it. If the land were ploughed the weed would grow more vigorously. Therefore the best method was not to open ua the land but to topdress the pasture. There was no trouble with the weed if the land were farmed correctlv. He pointed out that the weed had been brought in with grass seed over 25 years ago. Experience in England. His experience in England had shown that ploughing the land half a dozen times would get rid of the thistle, said Cr. Liiley. Agreement with the idea that the Gov- I ernment should be approached first | before declaring Californian thistle a noxious weed was expressed by the ' chairman. He agreed that the weed was a serious menace. but unless the council knew what was to be done, how could they enforce its eradication? he asked. The council was busy with the eradication of ragworth and blackberry. The Farmers' Union wanted the coun-] cil to make an effort at controlling the, weed. though it recognised the difficulty of enforcing a satisfactory method of, control, said Cr. Sheat. However, hej considered by taking steps to prevent its j seeding they could prevent the weed i from spreading to become the nuisance1 that ragwort and blackberry had become. I The council should not endeavour now! to place the responsibility on the depart-

ment. he held, in expressing the opinion that if the council did not consider it a menace it should allow it to spread, but if it did consider the vveed a menace, then it should accept the responsibility and instruct its inspector to see that farmers cut the weed. Sooner or iater the council would be forced to take a stand and it would be better to do so before the weed had got completely out of hand. The council was trustee for Ihe ratcpayers, the majority of whom were good farmers, and those farmers should be protected from the few bad farmers, contended Cr. Lilley. He.did not let any weed on his property go to seed, whether it were blackberry, gorse. ragwort, Californian thistle, or anything else, and if he could do it others could. It was only the lackadaisical way that farmers had got into of looking for assistance that prevented them from keeping the weed under control. He recognised that Californian thistle was spreading. said the chairman. In fact in parts of the Waikato he hacl seen it so thick and tall that it had been cut for ensilage, but he considered they should first ascert.ain whether the Agricultural Department considered it a menace over the Dominion, whether the department was making an attempt to have it eradicated and what methods should be adopted. On receipt of the reply the council could take' steps to declare it a noxious weed if it so desired.