THE FOXGLOVE PEST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1606, 25 November 1912, Page 8

THE FOXGLOVE PEST.

BOUND. ABOUT THE SOUNDS.

To show the danger of neglecting foxglove, writes our travelling correspondent, a settler in Maori Bay, in Pelorus Sound, told me that though, after its first seeding, he had never eagain allowed -the foxglove' to flower, it .took fourteen yevrs before he was ultimately rid of the pest. This is surely a lesson to any farmer who does not appreciate the menace of this weed. I was told that a man who was desirous of purchasing a farm in the Sounds, on going over tho, property with tho owner, .saw somo weeds ■ with which lie was not acquainted. On asking what they were, he was told they -were "New Zealand lettuce," and that lambs wore 'very foqd of ,it. On this recommendation he actually purchased tho farm. The "lettuce" turned out.to be> foxglove, and now it is beyond the farmer's power, to cope with it—it is such a prolific seeder. Yncyea Bay'is only a small bay, but ono of the prettiest 'in the Sounds.- At the head of the bay-is Mr. Nesbitt's farm, carrying both sheep and cattle. Mr. Nesbitt also is a supplier of cream to the butter factorvj and intends installing a Pelton wh»el, to ooerate his machines. Waitata Bay, in Kenepuru Sound, is a bay apart. There is a considerable Area of plougliablo land in it. One- of the oldest settlers in. the Sounds, Mr. .T. D. Ilenderson, has his hoiiie in Waitata Bay. ■ At one time a sawmill was workin,"- here, to cut up the fine bush which was' then in existence.- Mrs. Ilenderson, by the'way, has been . twenty-ono years in Waitata Bay, and has never been

away. Many of tho Sounds farmers make a substantial addition to their income by catching fish, principally cod aiul hapuka, of which there seems to bo an unlimited quantity. It all goes to Wellington by steamer. From the price tlicy told mo it returns them, somebody would appear to ho doing well out o£ tho business. Tlvo,..fishermen say they-do not Ret a fair share, and comparing the price they get, and what tile customers have to pay in tho inland towns of Wellington province, there certainly, seems to be a big margin.