LEAFLETS FOR FARMERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 14

LEAFLETS FOR FARMERS

By T. W. Kn?ic, F.L.S , Lond, &c, Government Biologist. TAR WEED (Bartsia viscosa). 'This plant, which io an introduction from Eagland, is becoming very common in many i districtl, especially on poor pastures. The tower leaves tie arranged in pairs, opposite, J

BATHUUST BUFR (Xanthium sprucsum). j A shiwbby "annpal from 9in to 3ft high; the ■ stem and under side of the leaves aro whitish ; i each joint of the stem is studded with sharp spines arranged in groups of three. The leaves ! are lance- shaped, three cut, the central lobe . being very much longer than the others. The floweis are in clusters in the axils of the leaves. The seed is eneaeed in a very hard oval burr, which is thickly studded with hooked prickle?. Believed ib be a native of ~Cb.il'', but now found j in moEt warm climates. • At certain stages of growth the plant is said , to be poisonous to stook, but this is of little ; consequence as it is very rarely eaten by> them, j Great loss and annoyance are however caused j

the saleyards. I sin sorry to say the practice ! prevails largely in ibis divide!., as does also tre practice of holding clearing sales of da : ry stock, the usual r xcuse being that the owner i.s giving up dairying — the lval reason in the majority of cases being that they are a bod lot, and a sale is the raosh profitable way of getting rid of them. Buyers are, however, now gating very suspicious of clearing sales, and without. Tvt v c ; stock is known to bo good I think such- sales i i i future will have snnll chance of puccess. A<= ; one who has had some experience I have found that it is nexb to impossible to buy a dairy of ' good cows. If a man wants them he must rear them, and in process of time, by careful selection, he c*n have a good herd, but the maa who trusts to buying will, I think, be disappointed. The supply of milk to the dairy factories in steadily decreasing, and the output of produce will not be so large as waa expected at the com» moncement of the season ; Bliil th&r« wiil be a substantial increase. Account sales for butter remain about the same as when I last wrote, 98s to 103?. I have not heard of any return for cheese, but saw a cable at th>3 beginning of this month advising that 45< aud 46s has been | realised for one parcel. This is lose, but better : than the Agent-general's report led me to expect. It would b'i interesting to know where the Agent-jeneral get 3 his information re market*, I have fo'lowed bis cables pretty clo&ely this seasoD, bub ou comparing them with actual sake on the same dates have found them very uureliabl*. The cattle sales do not improve — iv facb it is difficult to quit cattle except at very low figures. Scarcity of fepd ip, I o'ave say, accountable in rarfc for this, but not altogether. Pigs are still in bri<-k demand, and I hear of endeavours beir>g made to st*rfc two more bacon factories. TLe question to my rniad is whether | there is room for them, ac I believe the existing factories can absorb considerably more pigs than the district eao at present supply, and I don'b think th<! cutthroat business will in the end benefi), fltlicr manufacturer or supplier. ; ii. „ v,:™!,.,.. .... ii, - *i „_„ «;(.„. *_ / '

muse uijiurs. uij iiue Bieui ure aiTOiDaiic cats). The fbwers in shape somewhat resemble the commou garden cwapdragou, are yellow, and arranged singly in ihe axils of <he j leives. Tbe whole plant is hairy and viscid. ! If a specimen is drawn throujrh the hand it. leaves a sticky feeling, hence the name of tar weed. Stock will not touch it. Seems likely to cause trouble in some localities, and ib woolo '■«» well if, when plants are firsc seen in am ii;?!r-e!. they were destroyed. "A stitch m time sieves nine."

to the farmer by the burrs becoming entangled | in the woo! of his sheep. 'Ib is stated on good f authority that in some parts of Australia, where the bum are thick, the wool is depreciated 3d or more per Ib. The destructive nature of this weed is ab present little recognised in New Zealand, but the pest is unfortunately spreading, and it ia therefore of the greatest importance that every plant observed should be destroyed. Where the burr has become established it is best attacked while in flower, as if interfered with when in seed more harm than gpod will result. The necessity for keeping a sharp lookout for such plants as the burr, and when noticed their immediate eradication, canuofc be too siro jgly impreessd upon settlers. |