NEW NOXIOUS GROWTH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 50, 29 January 1932, Page 7

NEW NOXIOUS GROWTH.

DISCOVERY IN BAINESSE DISTRICT.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) ' FOXTON,. Jan, 29. 1 At the December meeting of the Manp.watu Rabbit Board. Mr T. A. Grammar showed membors a plant which, he had noticed was beginning to. make its appearanco in the Baincaso district, and as no one was able to identify it it was decided to prosecute inquiries through the Government stock inspector (Mr A. Grant). Mr Grant took the sample away with him and handed it over to Dr Allan, systematic botanist to tho. department, who reports that the plant is the prickly lettuce (lactuca scariola,). It is a plant which spreads rapidly owing to its free seeding and is cohimon on waste places in oertain parts. Although .seldom touched by stock it contains an irntant juice and Dr Allan was of tlio opinion that it would bo as well to prevent seeding as much as possible. *• *' At yesterday’s meeting of the board, the inspector reported that ho Lad U”p?cted the locality at Bamesso where the plant was growing and from all appearances it had been introduced in horse feed import-, ed from Australia, for tho paddock wnoro it first made its appearance had been usep as a camp by roading contractors. The horse feed used in tho camp was imported from Australia and it was after tho camp was broken up that the plant made its appearance. The ownor of the paddock last year lost eight cows which ho placed in this paddock and had boon at a loss to know what had caused their death. Tho plant grow in some instances to a. height of eight feet. it was easy to pull, except that the stalks wore covered with little prickles which worked into tho hands. When cut or damaged the plant exuded a sticky milk very freely which stained the hands and clothes and was very hard to get off. Ho had found it impossible to remove the substanco from his arms and had to shave them to got thorn clean and ho strongly advised anyone pulling tho plant to uso gloves and wear old clothes as onco the milk got- on clothing it ruined it. Tho plant also had a very disagreeable odour but tho most serious ‘feature of it was that it had a head like a lottuco top and seeded prolifically, scattering tho seed for miles. It alreadyhad a good hold in tho Baincsso part ofthe district, whore thoro were thousands Grammar said that last year there were only a few plants and no one bothered much. Tho Maoris thought it was a variety of rauriki. This year thoro were hundreds of plants, and ho thought it would be advisable to ask the Manawatu County Council to declare tho weed a noxious growth decided to ask tho Manawatu County Council to adopt this suggestion, and & copy of Dr Allan s letter is to bo forwarded to tho next meeting. In tho meantime the inspector was instructed to keep a careful watch to see that no. further spread occurred and it was decided to take the necessary steps to have the paddock referred 'to cleaned up.