CALIFORNIAN TH STLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13953, 13 July 1909, Page 3

CALIFORNIAN TH STLE.

A NEW ERADICATOiL One of the most serious problems which confronts the iignciiluiri.-.i is the noxious weed pest, especially toe Calitornian thistle, whic.i I'V.ry \car is spreading. numerous experiments nave been made with tne object of killing it, but mostly uitn small success, and so (says tlie Gisb..rne "Herald," of the 7th inst.j, the important diM-«v-ery of a sueeesslul eradieator, lecently made by Air T. K. Long, of Alakaraka, should prove good news to all farmers. The inventor, who, after many satisfactory experiments, i\ It conlulcn: in success, and recognising the great boon it would be to farmers, approached tii.Department of Agriculture, with the result that Inspector Miller, who is in charge of the Poverty May district, was instructed to test the eradieator. Accordingly, on November 13th, 1908, on a. very badly infested paddock at \Vaillirere, a plot of eight yards by one yard was officially selected, and pegged off. The Californian thistle in that enclosure, was in bloom and about 18 inches long. The eradieator was sprinkled over the plants by means of a watering can. The test was to be for six months. The plants gradually withered down and the roots rotted. A " Herald " reporter, in company with Air Long, paid a visit yesterday morning, to Waihirerc. The peggedout snot was found to be completely bare of all vegetation, with a surface like a niece of marble, and only small nieces of decayed wood explained that the rorts had been completely destroyed : there was not a sign of life, notwithstanding that the selected ground was surrounded by the thistles. The inventor claims that the eradieator is not injurious to the ground or poisonous, mid that gra-s will grow even more abundantly than before, and to emphasise this statement he pointed out to the reporter how the grass from the sides of the r>l<>t was beginning t" snread over into t'e b;:'-e portion which had boon treated. Another pice* 0 f nrnunrl 4 yards bv yards. " which Mr Long had also rx-

perimented with: proved ..equally interesting. On some of, the ground being dug up only rotten roots could he found. The reporter pulled out a dead root considerably over. 2 feet in length which had been treated with a diluted mixture. Other noxious weeds, such as ragwort, gorse, briars, and thistl", which had been t sprayed, were also found to 'be dead, and the roots rotten. The Agricultural Department has decided to con tinuo the test until next spring. Settlers from all parts of the district have visited the ground, and have been struck with the successful eradication, and are very keen that the Department should take the matter up immediately. The inventor states that two years ago Ire treated some of Ids ground with the preparation, and has not seen a California!! thistle since in his paddocks. A hope has been expressed that the member for the district. Hon. J. Carroll (Acting-Premier) will do Jus utmost to see that the invention is taken over by the Agricultural Department and turned to account for the benefit of farmers throughout the Dominion.