CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 910, 1 September 1910, Page 8

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

:^' ; ; ~A'TAIHAi'E.;EEIIEDT. ; . > rEeceiitly. the' Minister . for ..Agriciilture ivas petitioned by a number ■of- 'X'aihapcs' farmers respecting tUeV .''eradicating of Calif oruian thistle.-,'• following is a copy of a further' communication from the farmers to the Minister:-: . ' . ■ "As you requested us.to forward you any,'particulars we have in support of our-belief tha J. the'thistle can r bo checked,, 'and'even-eradicated, allthose who.signed the petition'"to'! }Uu,'r.and'.Sthers, have re-' ceritly. discussed the matter, with tho result that we, tho two .whoso'■. signaturesare attached to this letter, .have' been du-; puted to' forward ', you the '. particulars asked for. : .-.'■'■. ■'. '.' : . v ' iV'Some. of us have 'proved' by; actual "practice, that the; thistle - can be kept in 'check, many' patches 'haying been eradicated in a few,years by frequent.cutting of the pitches' from-the time the shoots .first:appeared' above ground' in' the spring ;(a'b6ut,.tJiß .middUiXo'r xSsntiiniber), such; cuttings .a&long as shoots their appearance above, ground.. T.lie'shoots' shoyidM,cut.at, oil. immediately under, the. of. .tho, -ground. . Several, cuttingly dono';iu'< the; 'earlier part of the "season'.are found to be.' much more effective, than'.cutting .done; at. 'the'latter 'end,oftho season..;-.,' ■'■■"■ ; ■-''■■ "The first season's.-cost -of : frequent;cut-' ting'.is : undoubtedly-heavy- where : the thistles have t obtained, a- strong;-hold, but the cost is a.decidedly decreasing one. As to'.whetheri .owing;to thei-labour.-. proble'iii, this, system ,would;-be practicable on large .properties! wiicb. laird ijlre'ady '. badly over- ' iim with the thistle we'are; not prepared ■'to.---Say.-''H-'-.~ i '.>i- 1 -">>S''''> i: , «->'s >'■■■ :>'■■■' '•, ■ " '•■"-' Wlii the pastltfcres' of itnistles' have beeii •allowed to-go-tbsseed;'not;onlyjon settlors •holdings, butsalso' on Native and Crown lauds, and al,so :pn .railway lines. Wo 'would. like".-'to ■ -point,' out' that .while . conditionsi prevail- many settlers', are'"disinclined -to- expend ;iriuch labour:'or inonej, ..inV combating the S pest, .and: are not at :: all likely to/do so' unless i : they- are aseured that the; : Noxious. Wcedsf Act. will, be. enforced* more -rigorously; -.ini the- future than it has been in" ,thn: past, and ithat. the thistle: will ibe kept cut;'on the above-mentioned , ! lands ■ as; well. -'■ ■'/, .-■ _ .

.';■ rr We are\of Hie opinion—(l): That itiisj futile to tryVto ■ kill the thistle by cutting ■it only, once or twice in the season. . The >nly good done by such cutting is .to preivent:th'e spread oKthe. thistle by seed; : ;, !.'(2) : That if .-■the: cutfiog of stheHhistln' is. to lie enforced by Act' of., Parliament, .we-'urgo- that inspectors ishould 'have-; the power to , coinpeTthe cutting'pf-:the. thistle ,frbm the.beginning\of the spring, .so ,thal even if the-patches carinot.'be cut often,.: :they 'will. at.least, ajl'.liE. cut beforo seed ihas tiine'.tb..ripen.;" ..' : ■.;*.:• ■.■'.•.;.• H'v,! ■ : --"..' ■ ;-.'; ; ''(3)':That: should it be.'decided nob to ■ enforce, the .'provisions -of V the '. Noxious : Weeds Act with regard to the. Californiaii thistle) the,land.in this:district;:would: ; soon be held in larger areas than it; is at '.presents owing to': tho rcdjiced'. gr.aziug capacity of'the:'-land iwheri over-run, with ithe thistle. ::;.-, ■,' :.■ ./.-■ ■ - ' ; : ■ \•■...: : ' ■• ■ "':■■"■'

' :."We shalLbe.'pleased,.at.any/.tini'o:that, may suit yo.ur-TconyonienceV'. to' ■show you farms, the condition; of'.the ; thistles on' which "will .bear out. bur statements as t< tlio possibility.,'of-checking,' :and;. oven 'eradicating I .tho- thistiej." ■.•;..-'.;.': • . :" ■The-letter'iwas -signed.;. by ■'..Messrs... l>. Scott :■;,>.;: .; : > ■