THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



The Tape Vine (Stephania liernandice folia Walp.), a native climber,, 

 with inconspicuous flowers, growing in coastal scrubs, is suspected of poi- 

 soning cattle. See C. T. White in Q. Agric. Journ., October, 1917, p. 230. 



(g) Weeds may directly destroy property. 



The undermining propensities of Nut Grass (Cyperus rotundus}, which: 

 have destroyed asphalt paths many a time, afford a remarkable illustration, 

 of the destructive force of a plant struggling for existence. 



(/O The cesthetic aspect of the weed question. 



We may object to weeds because they conflict with our esthetic sense. I 

 remember visiting a dairy estate and the absence of weeds was a great 

 pleasure. The paddocks, and especially the strips alongside the fences were 

 clean, there was no room for weeds, and one noticed this at once as a thing 

 of beauty. 



I once heard a certain nursery spoken of in these terms : " So and so's 

 nursery is a pleasure to see, you won't find a waistcoat pocketful of weeds 

 in the whole of the place." This was some years ago, and it was almost 

 literally true. It enormously enhanced the charm of the place. The presence 

 of weeds jars the feeling of the man who loves neatness and order, and 

 abolition of them should be our ideal. 



Weeds Considered in Relation to Animals. 



1. May inflict pain by stinging. 



2. Indigestible plants. 



3. Plants which cause hair-balls. 



4. Plants which irritate the mucous membranes. 



5. Boring seeds. 



1. Thxy may inflict pain by stinging. 

 The common nettles (Urtica) are of this kind. 



It is fortunate that we have very few plants which afford considerable 

 annoyance by stinging, as plants of this kind are dangerous in that one 

 usually comes into contact with them by accident. The large-leaved and 

 small-leaved nettle trees (Laportea gigas and photiniphylla respectively) 

 are found in the warmer coast districts and inflict great pain if their leaves- 

 are touched, cattle becoming quite furious. Fortunately, human beings are 

 usually on the lookout for these large leaves, which have a characteristic 

 appearance amongst the surrounding foliage. 



In swampy estuaries at the extreme north coast of this State is a for- 

 midable tree (happily not in great abundance), known as "Milky Man- 

 grove " or " Blind-your-eyes," owing to the exceedingly corrosive nature of 

 the sap or juice. Unfortunately, there are a number of instances, particu- 

 larly in Queensland, where human beings have received serious injury from 

 cutting the bark, and doubtless cattle have been injured by it in the 

 mangrove swamps in which it grows, although I have not noticed that 

 actual cases have been recorded. Its botanical name is Exccccariu Agallocha. 



