Opinions of the Government Botanist on the proposed alterations in the Thistles Prevention
Statute of 9th May 1865.
A,
Proceedings of Shires, Boroughs and Road Boards conference.
Section 3.
In as much as the term "prickly thistle" is not scientifically or even popularly recognized,
I beg to advise that this clause should be amended as follows:
"In the construction of this act the word "thistles" shall be held to mean and include
the plants known by the botanical and vernacular names of
or Milk or Spotted Thistle,
or Spear Thistle, Carduus arvensis or Creeping Thistle,
or Marsh Thistle,
or Real Scotch Thistle or Cotton Thistle, and
or Bathurst Burr; and that the onus or proof that any plant on account of which law
proceedings are taken, does not belong to any of those named in the act shall be with
the defendant.["]
It will be observed that the
mentioned in the act is omitted in this amended clause, that particular plant, the
Holy Thistle,
having lately almost disappeared, it moreover having never been really abundant;
but two additional Thistles are now specified, which invaded more lately this colony,
probably from Tasmania, where they are long naturalized, and I deem it particularly
desirable that these should be included, as both are troublesome, and particularly
so the Carduus arvensis
on account of its creeping
perennial
root, which is very tenacious of life. I may add that all the other thistles can
be destroyed by preventing their seeding; and this measure can be effected by cutting
or uprooting the plants when coming into flower — which may be required a second time
— and burning them; all the thistles now mentioned, except the Creeping Thistle, have
roots of only one or two years duration.
In my opinion it is however advisable, that provision should be made in the new act,
to add to the list of thistles any other kinds, which may successively find their
way into this colony, and which may be deemed by the Government Botanist as sufficiently
noxious to be operated against in conformity with this act.
In reference to the Docks, of which two kinds have become frequent in Victoria, namely
the Curled Dock (
) and the Clustered Dock (
) I would observe, that it is impossible to destroy them by merely cutting the plants,
their roots being of several years or even many years duration, requiring to be dug
up. To cut the Docks and to burn the herb before the seeds have ripened will however
prevent the further dissemination of these weeds.
Section 9
13,
The proposition asked for by Councils or Boards, to lease or let unoccupied lands
of absent proprietors for a term so long as even
seven
years, to recover expenses for destroying thistles, seems a measure of severity,
though the leasing of the land would be far preferable to its sale; but it would in
my opinion be required to mitigate this power as regards length of time, and also
to fix by law the maximum rate of expense for destroying the thistles, such rate not
to exceed a fixed sum per acre.
I see no objection to the adoption of the other clauses, proposed by the Conference.
B.
Glenlyon, Franklin and Daylesford Agricultural Society.
It seems to me, that it cannot well be made compulsory to destroy under the "Thistle
Act" such plants as the Docks and Wireweed, unless the whole scope of the statute
is extended, and unless many other troublesome weeds, such as the Burr Clover (
) the South European Star Thistle (
), Cryptostemum
calendulaceum and many other weeds, were also included in the operations of the act.
The thistles are particularly dangerous in spreading, because the seeds by means of
their feathery downs are easily and widely blown about, while the prickly fruit of
the Bathurst Burr is likewise readily carried from spot to spot, particularly by flocks.
It is desirable that Docks should be suppressed, still they do not spread with the
facility of Thistles.
C.
Mr. McKnights
Propositions.
The proposition of destroying thistles on runs
solely
through depasturing of sheep is open to this objection, that in very many places
the seeds will ripen to be carried from the pastures to agricultural land. At all
events it should be compulsory to allow no thistles to grow on pasture land within
a certain number of miles from agricultural areas, although even this exemption from
the law would not likely prove desirable.
The removal of each separate set of flowers, as suggested, would entail far too much
labor.
To exhaust widely the soil for thistles through their own growth seems to me an impossibility,
even if thus the impoverishing of the soil was not objectionable in itself. But as
already remarked the thistles when uprooted or cut should be collected and burnt,
or they might be covered up in holes for decay. Whereever the destruction of the thistles
through sheep can be completely effected, there will be no necessity whatever of adopting
other measures of eradication, and consequently no occasion will arise for enforcing
the Thistle Act.
I am satisfied that the tonic effect, which the thistle may have on sheep, is produced
by many other always available herbs.
I see no applicable means to attain the object of depriving the thistles of their
successive buds before flowering, by framing and enforcing a clause to that effect
in a legal statute. If pastoral areas are to be exempted from the act at all I would
suggest certainly that the law of destroying the thistles should be kept with rigour
along all the boundary lines of such areas. To effect the destruction of these plants
through sheep is assuredly open to any one, who likes to adopt this method.
D,
Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society.
1,
The name "Prickly Scotch Thistle" is not universally recognized. By adopting along
with the botanical name the accepted English vernacular names for the various thistles
now common here, all misconceptions are obviated, and yet a clear definition is gained,
while the exclusive adoption of vernacular names might lead to legal disputes.
2,
All species of real thistles must be injurious to agricultural land, though they may
possibly be innocuous on pastoral land. I hold however, that thistles even on runs
should be supplanted by more nutritious herbs and by the best perennial grasses; and
I believe that by the total suppression of the thistle in favor of more useful plants
also the pastoral interests of our colony will be very much advanced.
The thistle florishes in Victoria throughout the year, hence to limit the thistle
season from September to May is inadmissible.
All the other clauses suggested by the Society seem to be just and to have a practical
bearing.
Ferd von Mueller
9/9/71.
