RAGWORT MENACE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 214, 24 August 1927, Page 8

RAGWORT MENACE

METHODS OF CONTROL. In view’ of the fact that patches of ragwort can be seen in some of the Hawke’s Bay back country, and the possibility of its seed being carried thence by birds or rivers to our heavy land, the following article dealing with its control will be of interest Io farmers who wish to keep their land clean. The effect of ragwort on stock is well known to all occupying land where the weed is abundant. The malady it produces is known as hepatic cirrhosis, or “Winton disease.” Typical symptoms the staggering, dark urme, general unthritiness, and chronic scouring, and postmortem ‘examination almost invariably reveals the liver in a dark, swollen condition. Sheep arc affected to a much less extent, and provided there is plenty of feed and they are given plenty of changes can be kept on ragwortinfested paddocks almost indefinitely. When kept, however, in paddocks where the weed is abundant, they are forced to take a good deal and ultimately become affected, the greatest mortality occurring when they arc taken off on to clean feed. Stock do not readily eat the weed, but where it is abundant are often •forced to do so, and the farmer who uses ragwort-infested paddocks for hay is running a grave risk. Particularly is this so on dairy farms for cows in milk are most susceptible to any slight derangement. METHODS OF CONTROL. Ragwort is an annual plant, with a mass of shallow roots. It docs not creep like Californian thistle or twitch but its roots possess a good deni of

stored-up vitality and are capable of throwing up fresh plants unless cut well below ground Jcvel. Pulling is thus nearly useless unless performer when he ground is soft and with the aid of some tool that will lever up the plant so that a clean jeb can be made.

Every effort should be made to cut off the flower-heads before the seed is set. Further’spread is thus preventd, and the plants, after flowering, tend to die a natural death. The heads must be collected and burnt, other wise the seed may ripen on the ground.. ... '• .

Ragwort is not difficult to eradicate by cultivation, as the. plants are killed by being worked to the surface in dry weather. It is always safest, however, to cart them and burn them. The best plan is to grow winter crops, such as oats and tares, soft turnips, etc., so that the land can be cultivated during the summer. SHEEP AS SCAVENGERS. It is now coming to be recognised that every farmer should run a few sheep behind his cows as scavengers. This can be done without seriously affecting the yield of the cows. When threatened with ragwort invasion there is no alternative, for it is almost impossible to keep pace with seed ling ragwort unless helped by sheep. Probably the best plan is to stock up in the autumn with old ewes, also with a black-faced ram and holding them in the worst paddocks throughout the winter. They will then eat the heart out of the ragwort plants and can be sold off fat with the lambs in the following summer. This entails the provision of more winter feed for the cows in the shape of hay and roots, but if this is attended to there need be no serious diminution in the number of cows carried.

Isolated plants can be effectively dealt with in the nearly part of the season by placing a pinch of rough salt in the crown. This soon pent rates to the roots and kills them out. Stock must lie kept out of the paddocks for some (lays after the application of the salt otherwise they will take the plant in their effort to lick ib- This plan is slow but it useful to the dairy farmer who is not badly infested and does not wish to invest in sheep.