VARIEGATED THISTLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 28 August 1939, Page 4

VARIEGATED THISTLE

1000 ACRES AFFECTED THE GRUBBING SEASON TO COMMENCE IN HAWKKS BAY WEED SEVERE AT TE HAUKE hi the near future ihe annual cainpaigu against; variegated thistle will be com- [ ir.ent-ed in Hawkes Bay and although this i serious* weed is not very widespread there are considerable areas where it lias gained a strong hold in the pasL and where concentrated action is necessary to prevent lands which are at present clean from liecoming infected says the “Telegraph.” T he district which is mainly concerned m respect to janegated thistle, is in the. Te Llauke region and it is estimated that the weed has gained a strong hold over an area of approximately 1000 acres i i this district Variegated thistle is one of the. most serious of the noxious weeds which have to be coped with in Hawkes Bay anil it behoves every landowner to make certain that his property is free from these rapidly growing and spreading plants and that they are maintained in that condition. Last season concentrated action was taken in the Te llauke district and a gang of men employed tor a considerable time in grubbing the thistle during the early stages of development and before the plants have had a chance to seed. This is the best way of attacking the plant and ns the new season's growth is now commencing no lime should be lost ill finalising plans for the new campaign. SODIUM CHLORATE Experiments carried out by the Department of Agriculture two years ago indicatcl that fully grown variegated thistle can lie successfully attacked by dry dusting with a mixture of sodium chlorate and lime, or spraying with a sodium chlorate solution. The lasting effects of such applications, however, appear to lie < indefinite and it is considered better to .▼rub out the plants before they have reach, e J any height from the ground. When fuily grown variegated thistle rises to a height of six or seven feet and presents a most formidable obstacle to anyone attempting to tackle it at that stage. In the Te Hauke district the variegated thistle is almost entirely confined to native lands, either held and worked by natives ai the present time or under lease. The weed lias obtained such a strong hold that it may be some years before the seeds 1 which have found their way into the : ground can be eradicated, since seed can 1 remain viable in tlie ground but not germinate for a considerable time. The main 1 object, however, is to stop further seeding ; on the areas concerned and also to pre- 1 vent the possibility of new seed beingttar lied to other pastures CARRYING OF SEED It is fortunate that the seed of tin* variegated thistle is comparatively heavy and would nut lie easily carried by the wind. In this respect the seed varies girally from another menace to the farmlands of Hawkes Bay, namely ragwort, whose seeds are so light that they can he caiiied for great distances by a normal biecze. The germination percentage of ragwort seed is, however, extremely low, a factor which in itself acts as a safeguaid against and serious infestation of our better class lands providing reasonable care is taken to safeguard them. The chief method by which variegated l.lnstle seed is carried by moving stock. The seeds become imbedded in the hoofs and the wool and are dropped at various points along the route of travel. It is also quite possible for seeds to be carried down watercourses and distributed on previously (loan land.