THE FARMING WORLD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21226, 24 September 1940, Page 10

THE FARMING WORLD

WEED PROBLEM

BLACKBERRY PEST WAIPA COUNTY WORK When reporting on the month’s work, the Noxious Weeds Inspector, Mr Wall, at a meeting of the Waipa County Council this week, stated that, in connection with the request from the Te Kawa settlers that blackberry be placed under the same category as ragwort, the first job would be to clear the land of stumps and logs. These favoured the growth of blackberry. If the land were cleared and broken up a great deal of the trouble would be eliminated. There was a difference in that ragwort spread with development, whereas blackberry went out with development. However, some scheme would be an advantage. The inspector said that too frequent spraying was not economical and at times would have no effect. If spraying were done in February, it should not be done again* till the late autumn and then about Christmas. It was pointed out that settlers had asked the council to take some action. The only way was to attempt the clearing of the land and this was a matter of using labour, and that problem would be accentuated as the war went on. One

councillor suggested that the settlers should consider some community scheme and acquire a power spray, but others thought that such schemes with co-ownership of plant were not always satisfactory. Mr Clarke stressed the fact that the spread of weeds was really a national loss and attention should be given to the question in bad times just as in good times. It was decided to ask the Te Kawa settlers to confer with the inspector with a view to considering ways and means so that a report could be made for further consideration.