FARM PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25069, 10 November 1942, Page 4

FARM PROBLEMS

NOXIOUS WEEDS AND RABBITS

MAINTENANCE OF PRODUCTION

Difficulties facing primary producers in Otago in their control of noxious weeds and the rabbit menace were emphasised yesterday by Mr C. V. Dayus, supervisor of the Department of Agriculture in Dunedin. In an interview with a Daily Times reporter Mr Dayus urged farmers to concentrate more on maintaining productive land in good order than on the clearing of unproductive areas. He gave an assurance that the department was doing everything in its power to secure the necessary ooison, traps, and supplies of ammunition needed to prevent the increase of rabbits. In the Otago Province the chief noxious weeds were gorse, broom, sweet briar, ragwort,,,, and St. John’s wort. Mr Dayus explained. Blackberry was not generally widespread, and its control presented little difficulty. Ragwort was not generally common, as it was in parts of the North Island, but it was noticeable in the Gatlins district, where some dairy farmers had adopted the habit of maintaining a flock of sheep to keep down the weed.

Where there was a stock concentration of from two sheep to the acre, most noxious weeds were- kept under control. In certain areas where it was not economical to. clear gorse there had been evidence in recent years of farmers organising tree-planting schemes which had the triple value of destroying weeds and ultimately providing shelter snd timber. Most Otago farmers adopting this scheme had decided upon pines as the most suitable trees. Others had pulled out their gorse hedges and used substitutes, thus ridding their land of a noxious weed and also eliminating most favourable rabbit coverage. Effect on Production

The main war-time problem appeared to be that of keeping productive land free from the incursion of noxious weeds, Mr Dayus said, and farmers should concentrate on this rather than .On clearing fresh land. A shortage of suitable labour for the control of weeds would present a problem to the individual farmer, but there was no easy way out of the difficulty in present circumstances. In the last 10 years there had been a spectacular* increase in productivity throughout Otago, particularly in connection with the fat lamb demands. Many areas which could not be used for fattening 20 years ago were now in full production, and there was evidence of increasing productivity on most .first and second class land. The encroaching of noxious weeds would. *if not controlled, tend to reverse this tendency, and if production were to be maintained at its present high level, each farmer should ensure that noxious weeds were not permitted to spread. Shortage of poison, traps, and ammunition had made the rabbit control problem very difficult, Mr Dayus said. The last winter had been particularly mild, there being an absence of flooding which would normally account for the destruction of many warrens. For two or three seasons conditions had been most favourable to the breeding of rabbits, but it was hoped that the adverse weather at the end of October would cause a heavy mortality. Although, satisfactory prices were offering during the past season, there had been a noticeable falling-off in the destruction of rabbits, due almost entirely to the shortage of labour and material. It was estimated that there had been a decrease of 25 per cent, in the number of operators during the past season as compared with the immediately preceding years, and in view of this position it must be anticipated that destruction during the summer would be restricted, and that there would inevitably be an increase in the number of rabbits. Efforts to Deal With Rabbits

The operations of the Rabbitskins Committee, by which a bonus was provided for milky does, had proved attractive to some operators, Mr Dayus continued, and had had the effect of stimulating rabbiting during September and October. Many operators had been deterred, however, because of the marketing arrangements and prices, from carrying out normal activities. Efforts were now being made by the department to secure an importation of strychnine , for . the, coming year, while endeavours were being made -by the New Zealand "delegation in Washington to secure traps. Should these efforts prove successful, destruction could proceed as in the past season. The problem of ammunition was also being considered, and although .22 ammunition was not procurable, shotgun ammunition could be obtained by rabbit boards or by farmers outside rabbit board areas. Applications by the latter must be supported by the local stock inspector. This ammunition would be available in limited quantities for bona fide rabbit destruction only. “Farmers can rest assured that the Department of Agriculture is doing everything in its power to ensure the maintenance of productivity and that all possible efforts are being made to secure the necessary materials for pre,venting any further spread of noxious weeds or an increase in rabbits.” Mr Dayus concluded.