Hepce PLANTS UNDER THE THISTLE AcT. 25 
especially on the main branches; the numerous short, intricate, small 
branches all ending in a stout thorn. Lower leaves occasionally lance- 
shaped, but the greater number reduced to thorns, up to an inch in length 
or more. JT lowers fairly large, solitary, in the axils of the leaves on the 
preceding year’s shoots, forming showy racemes, intermixed with thorns 
at the end of the branches. Calyx, yellow like the petals and but little 
shorter, clothed with brownish hairs, with a small broad bract a milli- 
metre or two in length on each side at the base, besides a similar bract 
under the short pedicel. Petals narrow. A native of Europe and Africa. 
This prickly perennial evergreen shrub with deeply descending roots 
is an introduction from Europe used as a hedge plant in certain districts, 
having apparently been introduced for that purpose. Baron von 
Mueller records scattering seed in several districts and considered that 
the plant was useful for binding drift sand on the coasts, for which, 
however, it is by no means to be recommended. It is hardly a saline 
plant although it flourishes on sandy soil. It is, however, of compara- 
tively little value for arresting drift sand, although on coarser material 
it will grow when exposed to strong winds even near the sea, and then 
assumes a very short condensed compact habit. If closely trimmed it 
flowers and seeds but little or not at all, though if neglectéd it soon spreads 
and becomes a troublesome weed of pasture land. In several semi-suburban 
localities the plant has been entirely eradicated by the rigid application 
of the Thistle Act. For eradication the plant must be’ dug up before 
flowering, piled and burnt. If burnt off while rooted, it usually shoots 
up again. Cultivation, hoeing or mowing are necessary to keep down 
seedlings which may continue to come up for three years or more. 
Cows will browse on the young shoots while they are still tender, and 
in some parts of Europe, especially in Western France, the branches a're 
crushed and used as fodder. They contain, however, too much woody 
fibre to make good food as compared with ordinary fodder, and when dry 
and chopped form good kindling wood. 
After being proclaimed for no less than fifty-three districts from all 
parts of Victoria, at the request of the different shire councils concerned, 
including many in which it is in common use as a hedge plant, it was 
proclaimed for the whole State in 1908. 
Vicza.—Several Vetches or Tares have been introduced all of which 
are more or less useful as fodder plants, though often becoming weeds on 
cultivated ground. Thus the Common Tare (Vicia sativa, L.) is often 
very troublesome among crops grown for grain, not only diminishing the 
yield, but making clean harvesting difficult. 
HEDGE PLANTS UNDER THE THISTLE ACT. 
The Furze forms hedges in many parts, even in shires for which it is 
proclaimed, and the same applies to the proclaimed Acacia Hedge or 
Prickly Acacia (Acacia armata). Indeed, so long as the hedges are kept 
properly trimmed, there is*no danger. : 
The Thistle Act requires complete eradication which is not neceSsary’ 
and is not carried out in practice. An amendment might be‘ made to the 
effect that the following proclaimed plants :—Rosa rubiginosa, L., Sweet 
Briar ; Rabus fruticosus, L., Black Berry Bramble; Ulex europaeus, L., 
Furze or Gorse ; Acacia armata, R.Br., Acacia Hedge; Lycium horridum, 
Thunb., African Box Thorn; Cytisus scoparius, Link., English Broom; 
and Cytisus canariensis, Steud., Cape Broom, may be allowed, on the 
8509. B 
