Ail Injurious Weed — St. John's Wort. 67 



the district. I tliink that 100 good men with l^ush scythes would cut 

 the most of the weed within three or four miles of the Bright township 

 in a month, and thus prevent the plant seeding and being carried 

 broadcast over the state. If local labour could be obtained T think it 

 would be more satisfactory as persons resident in the affected districts 

 would be able to work at the weed at a time when not too busy at other 

 farm work, and could I think be depended upon to. take more interest 

 in the work than would strangers at even lower wages. I think the 

 latter view of the labf)ur question would also be acceptable to the 

 districts interested. 



The Question of Cost. 



This is a matter about which I could hardly venture an (^pinion, 

 for the reason that some acres of the weed could be cleared for a 

 trifle, whilst others may cost five pounds (£5) per acre, and even 

 more to do it. At any rate the Government will have to take the 

 matter in hand, by clearing Crown lands and compelling pi'ivate 

 owners to do likewise, as I feel certain that the municipalities 

 cannot be depended upon to do much in the matter, and, in the mean- 

 while, the weed is rapidly taking ])ossession of the country. For a 

 commencement I would beg to recommend that as much of the weed as 

 possible be cut and burned before flowering, this to prevent seeding 

 and consequently a further spread of the trouble mostly by travelling 

 stock. This would be a step in the right direction, and could be 

 accomplished by either the unemployed, suj^posing any funds were 

 available for the ])ur])0se, or by local labour under the supervision of 

 the shire engineer of the districts in which the work is being carried 

 out. If anything is to be done, the start, I consider should be made 

 from the extreme boundary of the affected area, gradually closing in 

 to the centre which would undoubtedly be Bright, as in some places as 

 on the Alps a deal might be done at a small cost, the weed occurring 

 only in light ])atches and often at distant intervals. 



