CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 2729, 9 December 1910, Page 3

CALIFORNIAN THISTLE.

METHOD OF ERADICATION

The fields supervisor of the Canterbury district has reported as follows to the Agricultural Department, respecting the control of Californian thistle : —

" Fairly good work has been done in keeping the Californian thistle in check. In some instances the farmers left the cutting too late, thinking that one cutting would be sufficient, but the last (1909-10) being a favourable season, the growth was strong. The farmer who believes that by cutting off the heads of the thistles he is keeping them from spreading is storing up trouble for another day; for the loss of the seed-head no more keeps the Califorian thistle from flourishing than a pinch of salt upon its tail prevents a rabbit from moving away. It is very surprising how little some farmers will do to try and cope with this trouble on their properties, many thinking that.as long as they keep within the letter of the law they have done enough, little thinking that the nuisance is getting a greater hold in the land every year. On the other hand, there are a good many farmers who are trying every means in their power to cope with the nuisance, and many are proving very successful. " One instance I may mention where good work has been most successful — that is, on' a farm belonging 1o Mrs Wilson, at Dromore. The thistles have

been growing on this farm for the last fifteen years, and different means have been tried to eradicate them, but they were only keDt in check until about three years ago, when Mrs Wilson's manager took ap the idea of cultivation —or, at least, to keep the plants cut down below the ground, so as not to let them breathe. To accomplish this, the ground where the thistles were growing was ploughed and rolled, and every week throughout the growing seasonthat is from early in November to the end of April—a grubber with ift. broad shares fitted to the tines so that they overlap, and are set about 3in. underground, is worked on the patch.

" This mode proved most successful, as I was shown places that had been treated in this way three and two years

ago, and were now in grass, and not a sign of a thistle could be seen, although I was informed that the thistles were bad when the work was first started on them. I saw sixteen different patches

that were being treated this season, and

only on one patch were seen two small plants showing through the ground, and from appearance this patch had been missed for some time. The. land is light, and suitable for such work, but there is no doubt that this treatment has been most successful."