CoMPosITz, 4I 
though not of any appreciable economic value is only locally abundant or 
troublesome. Proclaimed for the Shires of Maldon and Violet Town, 
The plant is a native of Chili but probably reached Victoria wid Europe 
where it is sometimes grown for the nutty cooking oil extracted from its 
seeds. It was abundant in the Kyneton district as far back as 1871. 
Since the seeds do not appear to be long lived, and the plant is an annual, 
it is easily kept under by cultivation and hoeing, if care is taken to keep 
waste places and the edges and borders of fields clean. The plant may 
be largely pulled out of pastures by using a close toothed horse rake or 
scuffle, after rain and before the plant has ripened its seed. 
Picris hieracioides,* L., and P. echioides, L. The Ox Tongue. 
Natives of Europe, Asia and Africa. They are annuals or biennials, 
distinguished from Hawkweed by their feathery pappus. The latter, 
especially, is covered with stiff hairs the ends often minutely hooked. 
Hence, the heads are apt to cling to passing animals and the seeds are 
also wind borne. The plants are likely to prove troublesome if neglected, 
but can be kept down by cultivation, and the prevention of seeding. 
They are not poisonous but useless or even objectionable in fodder. 
Senecio vulgaris, L. The Groundsel. A native of Europe. The seed 
of this small annual are readily carried by the wind to cultivated ground, 
but it is easily kept under by hoeing and cultivation, and does no harm 
‘on pastures. 
S. jacobea, L. The Ragwort. Leaves more or less divided, often 
with a woolly down beneath. Root-stock, short and thick but without any 
creeping shoots. Stem branched at the top only, unless cut down or eaten 
down by stock when it breaks out from the base. Usually two to four 
feet high, with large yellow heads, surrounded by a few small outer bracts 
and larger green ones tipped with black. _ Usually twelve or more ray 
florets, the fruits without hairs, but those of the disc shortly hairy. The 
Ragwort (from its ragged leaves) is a native of Europe and North Asia, 
and is a much larger plant than the groundsel, besides being a perennial. 
Tt has wind borne seeds, and rapidly spreads on waste ground and on 
pastures if allowed to seed. When young, sheep graze it down if penned 
closely, but if allowed to grow up it should be hand pulled after rain 
before the seed have ripened, and the plants piled and burnt with the 
aid of brush-wood, or covered with quicklime, or buried in pits. Culti- 
vation scon suppresses it, in spite of its perennial character and free pro- 
duction of seed. : 
Proclaimed for the Shires of Phillip Island and Woolamai, South 
Gippsland, Woorayl, Poowong and Jeetho, Maldon, Mirboo, and Colac, 
at the request of the Shire Councils concerned. 
"= Some exotic species of Senecio appear to be poisonous. Thus, in the 
Agricultural Journal of the Cape of Good Hope, 1906, p. 663, it is stated 
that Senecio Burchelli, D.C., and S. latifolius produce straining sickness, 
cirrhosis of the liver, &c., in horses and cattle. By S. datfolius, presum- 
ably, the South African, S. barbellatus, D.C. is meant, the true S. latifolius, 
Banks and Sol., being a New Zealand plant only. Four to eight ounces 
per diem of either plant produced death in a few days to a month, and 
Jesser quantities caused gradual weakening and emaciation. The action was 
apparently more rapid on oxen than on horses, but sheep were not tried. It 
appears to be a true poisonous action from the symptoms, and not, for 
instance, due to mechanical gastric irritation by pappus hairs or the like. 
In any case, since so many South African: plants have been introduced to 
* Sometimes termed the Hawkweed Picris. 
