RAGWORT WORK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 76, 18 October 1939, Page 5

RAGWORT WORK

LESS WEED THIS YEAR

SODIUM SUPPLIES NOT SHORT

Though it was, stated at a recent meeting of the Tauranga County Council that owing to restrictions and lack of supply due to war measures the supply of sodium for ragw'Oi't eradication was not .sufficient io complete the county programme, and that it would be necessary td revert to the process of digging out the weed, there has been no shortage in the Whakatarte County, enquiries from officials showing that the agents, Dalgety and Company, have made deliveries when required. In Tauranga it was stated that private applications for sodium through the council had been refused, and no more of the small amount of stock on hand would lie sold privately. It was stated that the ragwort position in the Whakatane County shows a marked improvement this year, repeating the better position disclosed last year. There are now 26 men engaged in the county, and they are covering the areas faster than in previous years and, of course, using less material. The Poroporo area in other years took from six to eight weeks to clean up, and it was completed in two weeks this year.

The rivers form the main distributing channels for the weed,, and much of the work will be concentrated on their banks. There will probably be less ragwort to deal with than usual because last year acres of the plant up the headwaters were cut and the weed was thus prevented from seeding. -