THE ERADICATION OF WEEDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 3

THE ERADICATION OF WEEDS.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —The Government Agricultural department in many ways hao showa a desire and ability to »9sist the farmer, and the leaflets distributed, describing how the weeds and pests that assail the crops may ba best dealt with, have no doubt proved of much service. But I thick the Governmant may go a step further, and offer fßcilities for the thorough eradication of all weeds, which can only be effected by persistently sowing clean seed. All farmers agree that clean sesd is the first desideratum, but few have tha meaas at hand for allowing this to be carried out, the result being that every succeeding year—especially bo far as graes seed sowing is concerned—an additional euppty of weeds of every description is being scattered al! over the country. It is well known that one single sowing of unclean seed may pollute, not only the farm oa which' it is sown, but a whole neighbourhood. Therearewinnowersf or cleaning and grading grain in use on many firms, but to extract the various weeds met with in grass seed requires a different and much more complicated machine, the cost of which puts it out of many of onr farmers' power to erect, aud the consequence is they perpetuate and increase the evil by sowing what they have. Now, what I would suggest is that the Government establish at various agricultural centres thorough seedcleaninj; machines, under experienced and responsibla control, where farmers could have their grain and graes seed 3 dressed at a rate) which would juat cover the cost of such operation, and that the rates on all grain and grass seeds oarrisd by rail to and from such depots bo fixed r.t the lowest possibla figure. The farinera would quickly take advantage of the facilities thus aSorded and tha good results would be both widespreading aad permanent.— I am, &c., March 9. Q.V.C.