Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29,1887.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4097, 29 December 1887, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29,1887.

A correspondent, in a letter to the Christohnrch Press, states that the Canadian thistle is becoming a terrible curse to Canterbury farmers. It appears that he has been straggling with an infected paddock of 6 acres in extent, but that, though he has pulled, cut, ploughed, scarified, horse-hoed, and summer fallowed, the growth of the interloper has only become wider and stronger. We should think that he almost exhausted all the likely mechanical expedients, and it may be that a chemical antidote will in the first instance have to be resorted to. His description of the tenacious peculiarities of the plant is alarming. He tells ns that its' roots go down to a depth of from four to six feet; that it sends np numerous suckerß; that it throws oat runners similar to those of the strawberry plant; that Its seed grows wherever it may be carried by the wind or the threshing machine; and that, whan it takes possession, everything else has to clear ont, even to the farmers themselves. He recommends that joint and speedy action should be taken, and that the eradication of the fpest should not be left to individuals many of whom are too careless or lazy, and some of whom, {holding rented land, with only a year or two to ran, would not take the trouble to even -cut the plants before they Beed. He favors the passing of an act making it criminal to permit such weeds to grow, and the offering of a bonus for the discovery of a cheap ant*/ efficacious method of eradication. If the doleful view taken by the writer in the Press be anything like justifiable, the farmers of this district may consider themselves fortunate that, so far, the Canadian thistle is only to be found in isolated patches on some of their lands. But how long they will enjoy such an immunity from the scourge, depends entirely on their own wisdom and industry, in the absence of legal compulsion. Judging from what we hear and read, it would not take long, if proper safeguards were neglected, for the weed to overrun this distriot as completely aa it threatens to do Canterbury. " A Btitch in time saves nine," and the uprooting of a comparatively few plants and the prevention of their seeding wouldlseem to be imperative. It is to be anticipated that our farmers will not ignore the existence of such a menace to their prosperity, if not to their very existence as fanners, because of its present inconsiderableness, That it does exist here and there throughout the district there can be no question, for it has been identified by experts, There is a patch of the noxionß weed in the vicinity of the Oamara Railway Station, and another one of considerable extent on the road near Frew's Gully, Fapakaio. Bnt there are numerous patches elsewhere, and the Government have, therefore, felt it to be necessary to instruct the rabbit inspectors I and others to report aa to the extent of the pest in their districts. Mr Fullarton has sent in his report, and has therein recommended that prompt measures be taken to combat what might, ere long, if left unchecked, develop into a seriouß calamity. It seems to be a great.faot that the intruder and the farmers cannot exißt together in amity—that it is a case of .'the survival of the .fittest, and it behoves the farmers to prove that they are the fittest by obliterating their enemy before it waxes too numerous and strong.