WATER HYACINTH.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16815, 5 June 1926, Page 8

WATER HYACINTH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In reference to the above, I think that I ran give you a little information on (he cause of the Wafer Hyacinth being found in the Waikato River. I think that if was in 1500 a friend of mine happened to pay us a visit, and in looking over the garden our friend suggested that we ought, lo have seme water hyacinth lo plant on a piece of’ reclaimed ground between the garden and the river, as from the foot of the hill or high ground was a fine spring and the water running from the spring to the river, about 12 yards, was an ideal place for the beautiful water hyacinth. In fact lie said that if my wife would accept a few plants he would send f her a few. My wife was only too pleased to accept, and in due course a dozen plants arrived and 1 had them planted in the lit llp rreek, with the result that we soon had a fine lot of them and my wife was well pleased with them, but during a fiood in the river most of the hyacinth got washed away down the river. I feel suro that was in 1803. tho year of lhc general election, as I was a candidate for. Hie Waikato electorate, and my opponent was Mr Cadman, then Minister of Mines, and of course I was defeated. by some 42 votes. That was the first time th ladies had a vote, and I got a good majority of their votes. I only mention this to fix the year. In reference to the few plants that did not get washed away, I happened to see mi account in the newspaper of the trouble they were having in Marlborough with the hyacinth, so I pulled mine up and destroyed them, but I never heard anything about those washed away.—l am, ole.. ISAAC COATES.