THISTLES DISLIKED

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17966, 11 March 1930, Page 10

THISTLES DISLIKED

CONDITIONS IN ENGLAND. STOCK WITH AN “ACCENT.” The common Scotch thistle, really not Hie “genuine plant,” hut well enough known to every New Zealander by that title, is not cared for by English farmers, and on Mr G. F. Moore s “Bushy Park” property they made no 'effort to conceal their dislike, says the Wanganui Chronicle. “Beautiful pasture, beautiful pasture,” one of them kept commenting to a reporter, “hut those thistles I They’d send me grey. I would have my mower out twice a day until I got rid of them. Even if it cost 10s a day 'they’d come down.” The New Zealanders in the party, in common with Hie general run of farmers in this country, had little worry for this type of thistle. “They’re nothing,” Mr J. IV. Franklin stated. “You should see a bush burn the first, year after it is sown. We have to cut tracks to get through the thistles. 'They all disappear in time, and while they are growing you have more feed than you need. They die out in the winter and the grass where they have been is clean and fresh. AYhat we are more concerned about is the Californian thistle.” “If I had those growing on my place I probably would get £1 a day fine without notice,” Mr J. Cridlan, of Gloucester, replied. \ New Zealander: We fatten cattle on* them here. The Californian thistle up the Main Trunk makes good winter feed. Englishman: There you arc Tack if you’re taking any tales Home with you. They fatten cattle on thistles. . Tack' And they might, gnr the thing a flavour and say the bullocks get a Scotch accent. (Laughter).