47 



wellknown, and the history and manner of its spread hasbeen so 

 much written about, that I need not particularise it here. I will 

 just observe, however, that it has not spread very much into 

 New South Wales, and is not a troublesome weed. It is in Vic- 

 toria and Tasmania its advance has been chiefly felt, and as we 

 hear less about it than formerly, we may suppose that the 

 measures taken for its extirpation have been in some degree 

 successful. 



Carduus (cniciis) arveiiis. Californian, Canada, or Creeping 

 Thistle, so pernicious in Tasmania as a weed, is not known in 

 New South Wales or Queensland, and probably South Australia. 

 In Victoria I have had no recent means of ascertaining. 



In many parts of South Australia, and notably in the rich 

 volcanic soils around Gambler, one of the most terrible pests 

 to the farmer is the common wood sorrel, JRumex. acetosella. 

 It is not so conspicuous as other weeds, but it is almost 

 impossible to eradicate, because of the way in which the 

 small wire-like fragments of roots germinate when every 

 other part of the plant has been removed. I believe that the 

 same species is the farmer's plague in Victoria and Tasmania, 

 but complaints about it are not common in New South Wales or 

 the colony of Queensland. 



It is needless to refer to the common sweet briar. Bosa 

 riibiginosa, as an instance of how a plant will become a 

 dangerous weed when, from its peculiar character, it would 

 not be supposed very likely to spread. In Tasmania, 

 unfortunately, its baneful propensity is well known. It has 

 spread widely over the pastoral districts, and forms bushes 

 and thickets which not only exclude more useful plants, but 

 its thorns are very injurious to the wool, and remove con- 

 siderable portions of the fleece from the sheep which browse 

 near it. It is remarkable that this weed is only known to 

 spread on the high table lands of New South Wales. Its 

 most common habitat is the Bathurst district, where it is 

 every bit as troublesome as in Tasmania. But I have not 

 observed it anywhere else, nor do I think it would flourish 

 except in places where it was not liable to great heat. The 

 severe frosts and occasional snow of the Bathurst and other 

 table lands seem to agree with its habits. I may mention, 

 with regard to the weed which is so formidable from its 

 shrubby habit, that no effort appears to have been made 

 tow^ards its extirpation in New South Wales. In fact, it is master 

 •of the situation, and covers the ground so thickly and deeply 

 that it is next to impossible to meddle with it. In some 

 places it is used for hedgerows, but that is not common. For 

 the most part it merely encumbers the ground. 



In the same district exists a weed which has obtained for 



