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1937
30 January 1937
ST. JOHN'S WORT.
Problem on Nullo Mountain.
RYLSTONE, Friday.
A special meeting of the Rylstone Shire
Council was held to consider the noxious weed question. Mr. K. G. Carn, special weeds officer of the Department of Agriculture, and Mr. G. Nicholson, senior agriculture instructor, were present to advise the council of the best methods that might be used In the eradication of St. John's Wort on Nullo Mountain, in the Rylstone Shire.
Mr. D. D. Macfarlane presided.
Mr. Carn said that he had visited the Nullo Mountain with Mr. Nicholson, and found that the weed was a big problem, as 3000 to 4000 acres were Infested. The serious position had not been exaggerated in any way. The pest was firmly established. With the rich basalt country, this region was ideally suitable for pasture Improvement.
On private land, St. John's Wort was very bad. but settlers were trying to keep it under control on cleared ground only. If the country was opened up this weed would spread.
The Government had made available, through the Rural Bank, financial assistance for weed eradication, and £100,000 had been set aside for that purpose, A decided move had been made by the department all over the State in regard to St. John's Wort. In the southern districts, five shires contributed £900, which was subsidised by the Government, and this money was spent each year on eradication and clearing of waterways. Poison and salt had been used by means of a spray tank. The country was similar to the Nullo Mountain. The settlers are doing most good by introducing Subterranean Clover, which gradually worked the weed out. Experiments had also been made with black-faced sheep, and a remarkable success had been achieved with Suffolks. The lambs fattened and realised up to 25/ per head. He was convinced by the Tumbarumba experiment, comprising 15,000 acres, that the problem could be handled by pastoralists1
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1948
30 December 1948
Beetle Makes War on Weed
MUDGEE, Wednesday: A beetle which has cleared the noxious weed, St. John's Wort from many wild areas of grazing and farm lands in South Australia is also doing excellent work in the Mudgee, and Rylstone districts.
Landholders are so pleased with the small insect's efforts that arrangements have been made with the CSIR to supply the Mid western County Council with an additional 250,000 of the beetles for liberation in new colonies of noxious weeds. The beetle attacks and destroys only St. John's Wort. The weeds officer of the County Council (Mr. Ken. Watt) says that farmers in the Gulgong and Cudgegong Shires are doing splendid work in the campaign to destroy large areas of skeleton weed2
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1955
13 January 1955
Landholders Asked to Co-Operate in Eradication of St. John’s Wort
A report on St. John’s Wort was submitted by the Weeds Officer to Mid-Western County Council (Mr. L. G. Rossely, of Mudgee) at last Council meeting.
“The incidence of the weed this season is considerable, especially on private properties and a general appeal has been made to landholders for their co-operation in eradicating the weed,” Mr. Rossely said.
“Sprayinh methods adopted this season are the same as last year, with seasonal conditions more favourable.
Mr. T. Campbell, Research Officer of the C.S.I.R.O., was in Mudgee on 30th October, when he made a release of a Gall Fly in the Mudgee Common. This fly has possibilities in the matter of restricting the spread of the weed.
“The effect on the plants are: Prevents seeding; a weakening of the plants’ resistance.
“Accompanied by Mr. Campbell, an inspection was made of the Piambong area, where the Chrysomelid Beetle and borers were liberated. Considerable progress has been made by both beetle and borer,
“The most important factors in spraying St. John’s are:-
“Spray the weed at the correct time, i.e., early flowering stage.
“Make sure plants are sprayed thoroughly and ensure that the correct dilution is used.
“The necessity to follow up previous season’s spraying should regrowth occur.”
Mr. L. M. Nott: I ask the Minister for Agriculture whether St. John’s Wort is prevalent in the Mudgee district and spreading rapidly at Hargraves, Windeyer, Yarrabin and Piambong and other places within thirty miles of that centre? Is it a fact that about 5,000 acres for Crown land is literally a seed bed, from which the pest spreads to other areas? Is it a fact, also, that effective control measures are beyond the financial resources of some landholders? If these are facts , will the Minister and his officers confer with local governing authorities so that some scheme, perhaps based on financial assistance from the Government, can be evolved to control the spreading of this pest.
Mr. Graham: It is true that St. John’s wort is one of the most noxious plants in the Mudgee district and that the main infestation, in the hills around the town, is very difficult to handle. Also, grazing stock and rabbits spread the pest very rapidly to other areas. Many landholders are gradually controlling the weed through pasture improvement and top dressing. Hormone spray “2, 4-D” has also been partially successful. Last year, with the co-operation of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, chrysomelid beetles were released in the area but, because of the climatic conditions, were largely ineffective. We also released St. John’s wort gall fly, with some success. The Mid-Western County Council, which has done very good work in pest eradication, received last year through my colleague, the Minister for Local Government, a subsidy of £1,500. It met this £ for £ and therefore spent £3,000 in fighting the pest. If any of my officers can prove of assistance I shall be very pleased to arrange for them to attend any conference conducted by the Council3
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