A VALUABLE SCRUB DESTROYER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XV, Issue 2288, 1 June 1888, Page 4

A VALUABLE SCRUB DESTROYER

MrMurchison has for years been ei) g a ged in the preparation of a poison that will destroy all scrubs, weeds, or noxious plants, such as tne briar, Californian thistle, Cape weed, and Bathurst burr. After a great many experiments v and Much thought and care, he has at last made a combination that|has fully answered his expectations. The poison has effectually destroyed every plant . upon which it has bean tried, and the price is so moderate that it will eventually become of great assistance to the pioneer in scrubby country. It appears that, though the poison destroys all vegetable life upon which it is sprinkled, the active principal is so volatile that it is soon dispersed, [and the soil ig then, fit for cultivation or producing pasture. As a proof of this, Mr Murchison showed me a spot in his garden which was once overrun with Cans weed. The poison,

which is named "The Scrub Exterminator,'' was freely applied to the weeds, with the result that all were killed. A crop of French beans was then grown on the ground, which gave a heavy yield . At first there was a strong objection to use the beans in the house, but when it was seen that the fowls partook of them freely without any bad result, they were eaten by Mr Murchison's family, and found to be excellent.

In a paddock a short distance from the house I saw the effect of the scrub exterminator when applied to various plants. There were .gum saplings nearly a foot in diameter that had been dressed with the exterminator, and the result showed that the name was not misapplied, for the- young trees were quite dead. The action of $he exterminator is thorough, for every plant I saw to which it had been applied was killed to the utmost fibres of its roots. Perns are very easily destroyed/ and in some instances I noticed that under the ferns the grass was still growing. Where a bank of I fern had been killed for some months the young grass was springing underneath, showing that the exterminator does" not destroy the fertility of the j soil, but merely kills all growing vegetation. Mr Murchison explained to me that the exterminator was sprinkled over the leaves and stem of of the plant by means of an ordinary , watering pot. It was not necessary to let any of it fall on the ground to kill a plant. From what I saw on Mr Murchison's property, I fancy the grass would spring naturally about three months after the poison was applied to the soil, and much sooner if the land is cultivated.

The most interesting to me of the experiments made by Mr Murehispn was the destruction of a large briar bush near the bouse, the only one in the neighbourhood. J This was dressed with the exterminator a few months ago, and was, at the time of my visit,

completely destroyed. The roots were so rotten that it was broken off short by a kick. This will be good news for agriculturists in many parts of Australia, and particularly in Tasmania, where the briar has taken possession of so many acres of good soil. Those who have had to deal with this penicious plant know from sad experience how difficulty it is to eradicate, how the smallest rootlet left in the ground will spring into vigorous life. By merely sprinkling the exterminator over the leaves of a growing plant it wiil be killed as effectually as if it were struck by lightning. If the exterminator were useful for this purpose alone I consider it would be a great boon to Australia.

On my expressing a wish to see the exterminator applied to some plants, Mr Murchison kindly brought over to Llanberris a couple of bottles ready mixed. This small quantity was applied to the stump of a vigorous young gum tree which was cut down for the purpose. The tree was over a foot in diameter, and was crowned with a fine dark foliage, showing that it was in perfect health. The result of this experiment cannot be known for some time. About a quarter of a bottle was used on this tree. The remainder of the liquid was sprinkled over a young gum bush about four feet high, a young wattle of the same size, a thistle, a furze bush, and a bunch of fern. ISText morning, on visiting the spot, I noticed that the young gum, wattle, and th'stle seemed very sick and (droopy. There was not much difference noticed in the furze bush and the fern. Mr Murchison said that though tbe exterminator would kill any plant by sprinkling it over the leaves, it was better to put some at the roots of plants of strong vitality, such as briar, furze and strong gum scrub.

The scrub exterminator is prepared in the shape of a powder, IQOlbs., of

which dissolved in[3oo'galloT3s of water forms a liquid str©Dg enough to destroy scrub, Californian thistle, prickly pear, briar, f u^ze, a*)d feeas! To destroy Cape weed, sorrel, burr, and small weeds, twice the quantity of water may be used. For 2d per gallon a liquid may be prepared that will effectually destroy any vegetable pest. It is not dangerous to handle, but it is recommended that alter working in it, the hands should be carefully washed, a precaution anyone would naturally take, without any directions. The "scrub exterminator" has been patented in all the Australian colonies, and when its merits become generally known it will come into deserved repute with all who have to deal with noxious weeds. It has been proved extremely useful in keeping garden paths and carriage drives free from weeds, one watering with the weak solution sufficing to effect a clearance of all weeds.

Since my visit to Llanberris, I bave heard from Mr Dobbin of the experiments made with the exterminator in my presence. Tbe gorse and gum bush were completely withered in a week. Tbe thistles died in about 48 liours. The fern was quite dead when pulled up a week after being dressed. At that time tbe wattle still showed a little life in the tips of the brunches. "When observing the effect of the exterminator on many vigorous plants, it struck me tbat in tl is discovery, there was a ready means of destroying the pbylloxera affected vines in New South "Wales, The ordinary mode of digging out the plants has proved a complete failure, for oq pieces of vine root left in the ground f ully seven years I saw living phylloxera in the old Geelong vine-yards. Tbe exterminator appears to poison any plant to which it is applied to tbe uttermost rootlet, and I fancy that any living insect on the roots will be deoteoycS*'— Australasian,