NOXIOUS WEEDS PROBLEM

Southland Times, Issue 23374, 4 December 1937, Page 18

NOXIOUS WEEDS PROBLEM

COUNTY COUNCIL CONTROL FAVOURED The eradication of noxious weeds continues to be a difficult problem, states the annual report of the Department of Agriculture. Owing to suitable climatic conditions ragwort in particular made strong growth during the past season. The control of this weed was taken in hand by a good number of county councils, particularly in the North Island, under a scheme approved by the Government ana largely assisted by subsadized labour made available by the Employment Division of the Department of Labour. The luxurious growth and spread of ragwort during recent years has caused considerable concern, and from experience it would seem that local administration by county councils is the most promising method for effective control. In the course of their operations these bodies also attend to the I clearing of the weed on unindividualized native land and unoccupied Crown land in the district, and altogether the work carried out by these councils and their officers is most commendable. In dealing with ragwort in the South Island the judicious grazing of sheep is practised. Variegated thistle is still causing concern in east coast districts of the North Island, all classes of land being infested. In many parts good work has been done by land owners, but the large area of infested land makes eradication a serious problem. Some fairly good work has been done with blackberry, gorse, and broom. Much of the clearing is done during the months of winter, when farmers have more time to give it attention. The flame-thrower is being more widely used and has proved effective in de • stroying heavy stands of these weeds. In portions of the South Island sweet brier is still proving a difficult weed to control, but some satisfactory work has been done in the clearing of Californian thistle.

Some county councils are now stocking weed-killer as a convenient source of supply for ratepayers.