A POISON FOR WEEDS.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7062, 10 May 1888, Page 3

A POISON FOR WEEDS.

" Bruni" gives in the Australasian the following description of an Australian patent called " The Scrub Exterminator." This will probably be found useful in New Zealand, and we understand that it will shortly be obtainable from the patentee's agents here. " Bruni" writes: — Air Murchison has for years been engaged in the preparation of a poision that will destroy all scrub, weeds, or noxious plants, such as the briar, Californian thistle, Cape weed, and Bathurst burr. After a great many experiments 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 npon which it has been tried, and the price is so moderate that it will eventually become a 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 principle is so volatile that it is soon dispersed, and the soil is then fit for cultivation or producing pasture. As a proof of this, Mr Murchison showed mc a spot in his garden which was once overrun with Cape weed. Thepoison, 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 results, 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 the exterminator is thorough, for every plant I saw to which it had been applied was kUied to the uttermost fibre of its roots. Ferns are very easily destroyed and in some instances I noticed that under the ferns the grass was still growing. Where a bank of fern had been killed for some months the young grass was springing underneath, showing that the exterminator does not destroy the fertility of the soil, but merely kills all growing vegetation. Mr Murchison explained to mc that the exterminator was sprinkled over the leaves and stem of the plant by means of an ordinary water-ing-pot. It was not necessary to let any of it fall on the ground to kill a plant, From what I saw of Mr Murchison's property, I fancy the grass would spring j naturally about three months after the poison was applied to the soil, and much sooner if the land is cultivated. The most interesting to mc of the experiments made by Mr Murchison was the destruction of a large briar bush near the house, the only one in the neighbourhood. This was dressed with the exterminator a few months ago, and waa, at the time of my visit, completely destroyed. The roots were so rotten that it waa broken off short by akick. This will be good i newsforagriculturistsinmanypartsofAus- \ tiaiia, 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 pernicious plant know from sad experience how difficult it is to eradicate, how the smallest rootlet left in the ground will spring into vigorous life. ;By merely sprinkling the es terminator over, the leaves of a growing plant it will be killed as effectually as if it were struck by lightning. If the exterminator were j useful for this purpose alone I consider it would be a great boon to Australia. On my expressing a wish to see the ex- | terminator applied to some plants, Mr j 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 sometime. About a quarter of a bottle was used on this tree. The remainder of the liquid was sprinkled over a young gum bush about 4ft high, a young wattle of the same size, a thistle, a furze bush, and a bunch of fern. Next morning on visiting the spot I noticed that the young gum, wattle, and thistle seemed very sick and droopy. There was not much difference noticed in the furze bush and the fern, Mr Murchison said that though the 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 brier, furze, and strong gum scrub. 1 The scrub exterminator is prepared in tbe shape of a powder, 1001b of which dissolved in 300 gallons of water forms a liquid strong enough to destroy scrub, Californian thistle, prickly pear, briar, furze, and ferns. 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 r&comniended that after working in ifc the hands should be carefully washed, a pre- j caution anyone would naturally take, with- ! out .mv directions. The "s<ru'_ externa nator""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 have heard from Mr Dobbin of the results of the experiments made with the exterminator in my presence. The gorse and gum bush were completely withered in a week. The tliistles died in about 4S hours. The fern was quite dead when pulled up a week after being dressed. At that time the wattle still showed a little life at the tips of the branches. "When observing the effect of the exterminatoronmany vigorous plants, it struck ms that in this diseovonr there was a ready means of destroying th> phylloxera affected vines in New So*_ch Wales. The ordinary mode of diggfcn- out the plants has proved a complete failure, for on piece* of vine root left in the ground fully seven years 1 saw living phylloxera in ihe old Get-long vineyards, The exterminator appears to poison any plant to which it is applied to the utter- . most rootlet, and I fancy that any 1-ving insect on the roots would undoubtedly be destroyed.