LEAFLETS FOR FARMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9404, 10 January 1894, Page 3

LEAFLETS FOR FARMERS.

— —— - V" i TO THE EDITOR. Sir,- -But few, I fear, will be likely to endorse and approve all the doings of the comparatively new branch of the Government, " The Department of Agriculture," in their entirety. A couple of " Leaflets," Nos. 6 and 7, recently, however, came under my notice, which had been sent out by the Department, and this method of aiding the settlers of the country certainly seems deserving of all commendation. It is much to be hoped that the information thus imparted will be fully utilised by those for'whom it is intended, that the settlers in fact will do their part, bringing the information especially fully before t'.e rising generation through the medium of the school curriculum and otherwise. Practical botanical information of this nature properly handled will open up and lead to Dotany being recognised as an interesting and important study. It should be borne in mind that branches and subjects of study are adopted, not so much as a rule foe the practical ideas to be obtained from them, as for the purpose of exercising the intellect and inducing habits of correct and exhaustive thought. Botany and kindred matter certainly possesses all these latter advantages, and highly interesting and useful information besides..

A noxious weed obtaining foothold will frequently in short time make such progress as to entail very considerable labour and expense in its eradication—or as an alternative a continually increasing detriment to the cultivator, when, had the people generally been aware of its identity and characteristics at the start through the constant alertness induced by suoh means as the promulgation and due study of these " leaflets," the pest would probably be met with destruction easily and at once. Most colonial grazing and flock masters will have seen or heard something of that serious and unmitigated pest, the " Bathurst burr" (the Zanthium spinosum mentioned for comparison in said leaflet No. 6), and it is surely a reflection on either the knowledge on these matters extant or on the conservation of the interests of the community by local bodies as .at present constituted, when I state that a large quantity of this serious pest, sufficient to infest the whole country side, is flourishing without let or hindrance in the immediate neighbourhood of Auckland ! While driving to see the fruition of one of our enterprising and lucrative stockraising operations at Wellington Park last week, I observed this in the immediate neighbourhood of the slaughterhouse, formerly Hulme's, on the Panmure Road. Another somewhat similar matter attracted my attention on the same journeyviz., the large quantity of the genus " Mentha," known as " Penny-royal," growing in the market accommodation paddocks, on the Great South Road. Hungry stook, being put into these paddocks temporarily, are compelled to eat more or less of this plant, probably bearing seed at the time, in their endeavour to get a few blades of grass, and the seeds so taken being capable of being carried and dropped on the wayside, or in other paddocks, in all parts of the district where these stock may be driven to, and within a short time flourish and be subject to the same mode of distribution in town. Now, hay has been known to be almost unconsumable

by stock on account of a comparatively small quantity of this plant having been cured with it. Milk and butter are immensely deteriorated from its almost compulsory consumption by dairy stock, and this in a district largely devoted to dairying products mußt be of considerable and con-stantly-increasing moment. Without having searched I feel quite safe in asserting that this pest must inevitably have been thus distributed, and will be found in large or small quantities in almost every paddock, waste tract, or roadside in the district round Auckland for many miles. What must be the ultimate result of this state of things as far as the dairy industry is concerned it is painful to contemplate. Possibly, nay certainly, this " leaflet" system fully taken advantage of must lead to an improvement at least with regard to pests as yet to be introduced, or which have not yet become paramount. There are many other plants objectionable either " positively "or " negatively"" positively" as possessing qualities as just described, or "negatively" as being of low nutritive value, or indeed utterly worthless; but which take the place of more nutritive vegetation, which these "leaflets" will doubtless treat upon to the advantage of all concerned, if properly utilised. I should be sorry that it should be thought for a moment that I would suggest that the Government should be looked to, as the custom largely is, to take in hand the prevention or eradication of these or similar, or indeed anything of the kind. Work of this character should be accomplished through our own local organisations. It is this " looking to Government" for all and sundry, which causes this immensely overgrown " Government machine," which often in a very objectionable way, tends to crush the life out ot an otherwise splendid and [desirable country. The providing the means of obtaining knowledge, however, as in the case of these " leaflets," might perhaps be considered as fairly legitimate governmental function and expenditure. Having called attention to these " leaflets," I would suggest that—as many will desire to peruse and possess them—information - should be afforded as to where full seta of them could be obtained. I myself obtained the two mentioned, as I believe quite "by chance," and had heard but little of anything of the kind previously. If the country has been at the expense of compiling and printing them, greater facilities and more publication respecting them would appear desirable.— am, etc., ~ . C. T. Wren. Remuera, January 9, 1894. f