CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13713, 21 April 1910, Page 4

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

ALLEGED INTRODUCTION IN IMPORTED SEED.

At the meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of tho 2s ew Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, thfe President (Mr Richard Evans) referred to the question of tho spread of Oα!i- ---[ forniuii thistle. He said his attention had been drawn a number of times to the fact that there ivas being imported into New Zealand seed that contained Culifornian thistle. 2ir Evans produced ;i sample of seed which had been brought to him that morning by a man who said he did not want to reveal any names. This seed was meetly alsike, and it was impossible to take the Californian thistle out of it. Mr C. H. EiKor enquirer! hoy far the oese was covered by the Noxious "Weeds Act. He suggested that perhaps they need only draw the attention of the Agricultur.il Department to the matter and luive the Act enforced. Mr EvaH3 said that 15 tons of tho (iC(>d he referred to h«d been imported, and that was enough to cover ihe whole country with thistle. He knew of a case where chaff had been sent from another part of tho colony to Taratiaki, .and had l)cen rejected and destioyed because of its containing noxious weeds; hut it iv<is no good cleansing their own country if they allowed weeds to bo imported. Mr C. H. Em or moved, and Mr Wilfred Hall seconded :—"'That this executive i« of opinion that seed is beniy; imported into this country containing i.'aliforiiian thistle, and wishes to know i! there is any protection for the farmer .■•gainst such importation." A member remarked that in his district the thistle seed had bci-n carried in a sinspie nuinner, namely, on the ledges of chaff cutters and other nia--chines. <Usd precautions were taken to counteract this. Another member present, said the seed was carried hy sheep in their wool, and a third mvni.ber remarked that recently 19 or '20 truckioads of sheep had come into his district from th<_- heart of a district where California!) thistle nr.s rite. The motion was agreed to.