THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 73 



I published the following representative notes in the Agricultural Gazette 

 for 1895, p. 299, concerning it: 



Sent in also as " Shivering Weed," " Wax Weed," and " Dummy Nettle." 



" A very prolific seeder. Introduced into district through the agency of birds 

 and winds. Careful agriculturists experience little or no difficulty in keeping 

 it in check. Causes animals that feed on it to stagger or shiver; hence its 

 name. Flourishes alike in rich or poor soils." (Rothbury.) 



Crows throughout the district." (Eglinton, Bathurst.) 



" Is considered good food for milking cows, though if eaten by horses and 

 cattle while engaged at work causes trembling and loss of the use of their 

 limbs, and sometimes even death. It is not spreading, and no steps have been 

 taken to eradicate it." (Booral.) 



" Introduced five years ago by floods." (Codrington.) 



" A most noxious weed, found growing throughout the district, as a rule in 

 cultivated land." (Bega.) 



A supplementary note by G. R. Brown, of Port Macquarie, is " most 

 frequently seen about the edges of lucerne paddocks; very little in this 

 district. Said to give horses the shivers if overheated when driven. Cattle 

 not affected by it. Introduced here in lucerne seed and hay." (Agricultural 

 Gazette for 1895, p. 677.) 



Mr. C. T. Musson (Agricultural Gazette for 1894, p. 848) speaks of it as 

 " &, valuable bee plant, but I think its room is better than its company." 



Mr. Turner figured the plant in the Agricultural Gazette for 1890, p. 307, 

 and suggests that its injurious properties may be attributed to mechanical 

 action : "By means of its very fine hairy stems and leaves (it) irritates the 

 alimentary canal in some part and produces acute inflammation." He 

 then describes hew this weed is accused of giving animals the staggers, and 

 that horses are particularly liable to this serious disease. 



In the Agricultural Gazette for 1895, p. 32, we have a " Revised Report on 

 the Disease Shivers, i.e., Tremors in Horses, Cattle, and Sheep," by 

 E. Stanley, Chief Veterinary Inspector. This was the first Australian 

 official report on the weed so far as I know. He has preliminary remarks, 

 and then notes on the symptoms, etiology, and remedies. 



He speaks of it as a disease existing amongst horses grazing on certain low- 

 lying lands, and that it had been known on the Richmond and Hunter 

 Rivers for fifteen years. He says that it resembles in many of its aspects 

 Paludism or Malarial Fever in mankind. 



He adds, " It is interesting and important to note that this disease is 

 generally attributed to animals eating #13 hedgQ nettle (Sjackys arvensis}, 

 but I see no foundation for such a belief ;I^ Js Vie/rely*. a* Coincidence that 

 this weed flourishes at the same season, ,in t the^ same, pasture, ^ at the time 

 that this disease is prevalent. It also flo^lis%es^:an^"4d,^a^hibi" numberless 

 animals, in thousands of places where the disease has nav'er b'een heard of." 



The paper is an important one, and cannot usefully be abstracted. The 

 original should be consulted by every stock-owner. 



Some incidental references to Stachys arvensis are to be found in a paper 

 in the Agricultural Gazette for 1900, p. 1112, by Mr. (now Prof.) J. D. 

 Stewart, entitled " Staggers in Sheep. Progress report on investigations 

 carried on at Narrabri." The weed in the Narrabri experiments is referred 

 to as Marsh Mallow, but the botanical name is not given, and, in view of 

 the looseness with which the name Marsh Mallow is applied in Australia, 

 I do not feel justified in guessing at it. It is, however, one of the Malvaceae. 

 At all events Stachys arvensis does not appear to be concerned, and the 

 point seems to be therefore made that you can have staggers without 

 Stagger- weed (Stachys). 



