CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1125, 12 May 1911, Page 8

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

', POSSIBILITIES -WOHTH-. CONSIDEK- ''■'.' .-■:■ '-'''• • ' (From Our Travelling Correspondent.) The California thistle is such a burning question that I have taken a considerable amount of evidence from farmers up the Main Trunk line, a district which is irons,, all appearances one *of .the worst affected in the AYellingon Province, probably in the North Island. With nono had I a more interesting chat than Mr. J. F. Studholme, of Kuanui Station. As I told Mr. Studholme I was desirous to ascertain what his experience.and methods of dealing with the pest hail been,' and to obtain suggestion as to its eradication, these remarks may be .taken as the opinion oi a gentleman who has given the subject considerable thought. Effect of Cutting. Mr. Studholme is of the opinion" that the present system of cutting is entirely wrong—that is where the thistle is only cut once in the season. In this ho is borne out by many other fanners in all parts of the province, with whom I have talked on this question. .Their opinion is that cutting only once really ends in the direction of causing the phut tu grow stronger. Where the thistle can be, and ■has been, cut, as in the Taihape and ■other districts, several times in a season this plan mlist certainly get rid of- it, atid Mr. Studholme frankly said that on the smaller properties, where the area of thistle is much smaller, it is the best method to adopt. But when you come to a big station the one cutting is all that can be accomplished. Mr. Studholme! said he considers- the'liygc- sum -of money 'now spent in wage's to thistle-cutters is mis-spent, not that he grudges the money by any means. As a matter of fact he 6!iid if he was relieved from the compulsory cutting, he would gladly, devote the money which it has cost him this 6eason and more, annually to the Taihapo Hospital, or. any other, charitable pur-' pose, until a more satisfactory method of dealing with the thistle is discovered. In spite,, of. all'. the. work. dona . and money spent under present conditions, the pest is increasing. In too man}instances the Government Tamls and Native lauds are not only full of the pest, but very little endeavour Is made'fo do «ven one cutting. I may mention one case on the railway line, an' attempt had been made at cutting, but I saw any amount' of plants in bloom. The Labour Aspect! Another reason why Mr.'.Studholme. 1, against the present system is, that it takes,away a lot of labour which would be more usefully and certainly more satisfactorily employed on regular farm .work. So scarce have. men been this season, that some farmers have been unable to obtain help. Thistle-cutting comes at a most. awkward time, a» there is so much.. Tegular farm work to be done. -.•'•'■ ■•...,.!■ Mr. Studholme told me that tho California thistle will die out naturally. When it has'.exhausted the particular plant food requisite to its growth in any locality, it 'grows weaker,' and at last ceases altogether, but-it-moves -on-in searoh of other plant food, and where a patch has,.startcd it tlicro gi-or.s thinner eacli season,, but throws out an everwidening area' of plants. So.that it is dying, out and ' extending- at the same, time,', and whon its particular plant food is exhausted the thistle will have gone; and will have .left the soil in better' con■ditioti. As.a proof we went to see a patcli.''-which four years ago was waist' high.''' It had not been cut since then, purely.as an experiment, and in one out-of-the-way part of'the' run, wo" failed'to find ;a single plant;- It .had cjnite gone, but it had moved on to whore four years ago there was no thistle." " ■'•' ' ■ Some .Suggestions. In a dry season like this, the best feed ,- is found among the thinner patches, and when the frosts set in causing the thistle to disappear there is found the best feed.--What .Mr. Studholme advocates, is, that in place of the present ■ method a . thoroughly ' competent 'man should be found, whose duties would be to tike evidence and receive suggestions from farmers'in all parts of the Dominion; or, the appointment .of a commission, who :would.-work on similar lines.. Bv this means-valuable information .would he gained and turned to good use. There is no doubt that a drv season is adverse to tho thistle, as ,T have noticed wherever I sto that all tho. patches are very much thinner than they were last year.