52 THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



I cannot do better than refer to the experience of Mr. Chas. J. Salter, of 

 Llamboddon, Dubbo, as published in the Agricultural Gazette for September^ 

 1909, p. 760, and already quoted : 



My experience of this plant is that in a paddock where it was growing very 

 luxuriantly, and was also in various stages of growth, sheep in the paddock 

 died for want of food. They would not even touch the poppy. I gave them 

 salt, thinking this would help them to eat some of the plant, as I had often 

 heard that if sheep were given salt they would eat almost any kind of food, 

 hut it proved quite useless with the Mexican Poppy. 



The paddock mentioned must have carried some 3 or 4 tons to the acre of this 

 weed, and the only means I found effectual for destroying it was by ploughing 

 .it up with a big disc plough. No kind of furrow plough could work for a 

 yard through the dense mass of poppies. 



I notice that the Botanist is of opinion that the best time to destroy this 

 weed is when it is in flower. It seems to me, however, to be always in flower 

 you can see growing continuously on the same stalk flowers, green pods, and 

 ripe seeds. The plant is always green neither winter or summer seems to 

 affect it. 



It grows in all classes of land, even on stony ridges, where it is exceedingly 

 difficult to combat. 



Great benefit would result from the discovery of some effective means of 

 destroying the Mexican Poppy, as it is flourishing in many districts, and looks 

 as if it will soon take possession of the land, as nothing else seems to grow or 

 flourish when it is established. 



Mr. Salter adds that some time ago he had some hay with Mexican poppy 

 plants in it cut into chaff. He noticed that his horses, after eating the chaff, 

 would be seized with violent fits of gripes. He did not know at the time- 

 the cause of the malady, but as all the horses which ate the chaff in question 

 were affected alike, Mr. Salter feels sure that the Mexican Poppy was re- 

 sponsible for the trouble. Recently he has noticed the poppy growing 

 amongst some barley which was cut green for the horses, but they would 

 pick over the fodder and not touch a single leaf of the poppy. 



Where Found. Its original home is Mexico, but it has now spread to- 

 many countries. 



It is an old resident of New South Wales, the French botanist Verreaux 

 having collected it in George-street, Sydney, in the year 1845! Fancy 

 botanisiiig there now! It occurs in many parts of Australia, but it is an 

 especial pest in New South Wales and Queensland. It spreads because it 

 produces large numbers of seeds, and stock will not keep it in check. 



It is a common denizen of rubbish heaps and waste places generally. 



It has been proclaimed in New South Wales by twenty-one shires and 

 nine municipalities as follows : 



SHIRES. 



Abercrombie Cockburu Liverpool Plains Talbragar 



Bogan Coolamon Martha guy Timbrebongie 



Boomi Eurobodalla Mitchell Turon 



Bolwarra Gilgandra Peel Walgett 



Canobolas Lachlan Tamarang Wingadee. 



Cobbora 



MUNICIPALITIES. 



Aberdeen Junee Newcastle 



Coonamble -Tcl:*"'^ 'Maitland West ; Nyngan 



Dubbo Manilla Tainworth. 



