BY J. H. MAIDEN. 769 



originally introduced to beautify a home. Setting aside the 

 weeds that have made most headway, by all means give attention 

 to those plants that seem to be getting out of hand — incipient 

 pests. 



I understand that the eradication of weeds was at one time 

 enumerated amongst the public works. But, as far as I can 

 ascertain, very little weed-eradication is undertaken on either 

 public or private account. The reason is that the people have so 

 much land that at present they do not feel the deprivation of 

 those areas which are lost to them through being rendered useless 

 with weeds. But sooner or later, even in Norfolk Island, the 

 pinch will come, and I think it should be impressed on the people 

 that weeds, if allowed to seed, are spread through the agency of 

 the wind, birds and stock. Something should be done, if only to 

 prevent the weeds getting worse. The so-called " Poison " 

 (Solanuni sodomceum) is difficult to cope with. It bears enormous 

 quantities of fruit, full of seed; and it should be eradicated and 

 burnt. The so-called Tobacco {Solanum auriculatum) has some 

 redeeming features, as already pointed out. The fruit of the 

 Tobacco is palatable to birds, which drop the seeds everywhere, 

 and it has taken on such an aggressive attitude that it is ousting 

 the indigenous vegetation. Let the islanders b}' all means use 

 it for fuel, but endeavours should be made to keep it in fuel 

 reserves and not allow it to spread, unchecked, all over the 

 Island. The best way to cope with these two weeds is to hoe or 

 mattock them out when in flower. While I think the public 

 spirit of the islanders should rouse them to do more weeding than 

 they do, if only to improve the appearance of their beautiful 

 island, I am of opinion that the weed-pests will only be adequately 

 dealt with when there is a large accession of population. 



Pests. — I made enquir}^ as far as my opportunities permitted 

 me, in regard to the insect and fungus pests on the vegetation. 

 Norfolk Island does not appear to be cursed with very serious 

 pests; at the same time some of them entail some loss on the 

 Islanders, and, as years roll on, they will probably visit the crops 



