KILLING AGENT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7137, 25 November 1949, Page 7

KILLING AGENT

CHEMICAL CONTROL OF BLACKBERRY

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS IN TARANAKI

Very successful experimental work on blackberry with a chemical weedkiller has been reported from Taranaki. The killing agent- is an oily liquid that will emulsify with water, forming a milky liquid. It is noncorrosive to spray equipment, docs not constitute a fire hazard and is non-poisonous to livestock and humans.

The chemical being used was applied in Taranaki on a fairly large scale before being sent to other parts of the southern hemisphere for trial. Its effectiveness on blackberry was found by accident in American experimental work. The effect on blackberry sprayed in Taranaki, has been slow but sure. The foliage wilted and the normally green stems first became blackened, then after about a month they changed to a greyish white colour and were found to be dry and brittle. It was found that the effect on the large fully-grown, bushes was the most spectacular, the large canes being easily broken. Effect on Roots

When roots were dug up and examined in one trial they were found to be easily pulled out. The roots themselves being dry and brittle. The experiments have shown that large bushes should be treated rather than small regrowth which does not have enough top growth, to absorb sufficient of the spray to have the maximum effect on the large root system. So far the blackberry has responded best to mid-summer to mid-autumn applications rather than to early spring applications. The latest group of trials to be laid down Include stump treatment of % freshly cut blackberry. This method has proved very successful in the United States at any time of the year. Although good results have been observed where treatment has been delayed for some time, the recommendation is to apply immediately after cutting.