Sir,
I have been directed by the Hamilton Borough Council to request you to kindly advise as to which you consider the best means of eradicating the star thistle and Bathurst burr which are becoming a great trouble in this district. At present the council is trying to cope with the pests by hoeing through the roots being cut below the crown and consequently an inch or inch and a half under the ground; the thistles are then collected and burnt; moreover the contractor has to keep them cut and burnt from this time to Septr 30th. There is a divergence of opinion as to whether it is better to cut the plants off below the ground or above it. Those who believe in cutting them off above the ground argue that the disturbance of the soil forms a good seed bed and that more plants spring up where only one has been cut; others again contend that this is not so, and that cutting below ground and burning is the best way to eradicate them, repeating the process over an extended period, as is now being done. Will you kindly favour the council with your views on the subject, by doing so you will greatly oblige the authorities here.1
I have the honour to be, Sir,
your most obedient servant2
Please cite as “FVM-96-03-05a,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on