116 THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Made its appearance about fifteen years ago. It is very troublesome to the- 

 wheat or hay grower. When young, during the winter months, it is splendid 

 feed for stock ; later on the leaves and seed-pods are surrounded with spikes, 

 which at times penetrate strong boots. Early in the morning during dry 

 seasons, before the dew has left the plant, certain portions of it are eaten by^ 

 stock. It is spreading throughout the district, especially in cultivated laud. 

 The local municipal council has a bylaw compelling the eradication, by burning, 

 of all noxious weeds in the district, 'and a notice is forwarded annually to- 

 residents, requesting them to do so. This effectively keeps the weed in check. 

 (Dubbo.) 



Introduced by travelling stock and floods, and mostly frequents low-lying^ 

 flats along the river banks and watercourses. Stock will not eat it. No special 

 effort has been made to eradicate it. (Dubbo.) 



After the first autumn rains it springs up, and retains a green, fresh appear- 

 ance when almost every other plant is dead. While young it is eaten by cattle,, 

 though to butter made from the milk of cows feeding on it, it imparts a dis- 

 agreeable flavour. (Hillston.) 



Is spreading in ringbarked country and on the plains. With a few exceptions,, 

 no general or effective measures have been taken to keep it in check. (Con- 

 dobolin. ) 



Almost completely covers roadways and old folding grounds. In time of 

 drought cattle and horses eat it with avidity, and are kept in good condition. 

 ( Condobolin. ) 



Makes it appearance with hay and wheat crops. Possesses an exceedingly v 

 bitter fruit, and if eaten by horses has a dangerous effect. (Young.) 



Cattle will not eat it. Crowds out valuable grasses. Thrives on both culti- 

 vated and uncultivated land, and is spreading rapidly. A number of land- 

 owners cut it down annually, but fresh seed is soon sown from neglected 1 

 holdings. ( Forbes. ) 



Introduced into district in hay and chaff, and spread by winds. Spreads 

 rapidly, and wherever allowed to grow unmolested for any length of time- 

 crowds out native pasture grasses. It is a most troublesome weed, and, except 

 through dire necessity, is never eaten by stock either in a green or dried state. 

 In order to keep it in check it is, as a rule, cut down and ploughed in. 

 (Moarna.) 



Does not grow very extensively. The farmers keep it in check. (Corowa.) 



First appeared about twelve years ago. Useless as a fodder. Generally 

 occupies the richest soils, and is spreading in both cultivated and uncultivated: 

 lands. (Yass.) 



A very troublesome weed, especially in cultivated land, in which it is rapidly 

 spreading. (Queanbeyan.) 



Since farmers left off folding their sheep, it is not very common in the 

 district. (Crookwell.) 



Cockspur as a Fodder-plant. Stock will eat this wretched plant when it 

 is quite young. What will the poor things not eat if they are compelled by 

 stern necessity? A speaker at an Agricultural Conference in 1892 stated 

 that on certain runs, near the Lachlan, sheep had to eat this or starve, that 

 they ate it and thrived upon it, and that it is, in fact, a pastoralist's 

 stand-by. But I hope no one will relax his efforts for the eradication of 

 this weed for this reason. Scarcely any vegetation can be more thoroughly 

 indigestible than the Cockspur, to say nothing of its aggressiveness and 

 prickly nature, and the serious extent to which it deteriorates wool. In 

 making a list of fodder-plants it must be remembered that a far simpler 

 process would be the enumeration of plants which animals never touch in 

 Australia. The list would not be a very long one, so that the ranking of a 

 plant, such as the Cockspur, as a fodder-plant, may not mean much after all. 



