Looking Back: Wild blackberries a ‘noxious’ weed in Port Underwood

Port Underwood residents think they have a solution for the area’s rampant wild blackberries, 110 years ago, as we take a flick through the archives.

From the Marlborough Express, August 20, 1913.

The experience of the settlers at Port Underwood would go to show that the problem of inexpensively eradicating the blackberry has at last been solved.

Mr F. H. Brittain, Inspector of Stock, who visited the Port within the last few days, has returned to town with specimens of a blight that has had the effect of practically killing out the noxious growth in that locality.

Some form of scale has attacked the plants, profusely covering the canes, and quickly depriving them of life, as in the case of die-back in fruit trees.

The blight was imported by a Port Underwood settler, and systematically encouraged by his neighbours when they had observed its effectiveness.

It is easily transferred from one plant to another, the process being to cut out a green piece of wood that has been infested and attach it to another bush.

The scale spreads rapidly within a limited area, and also preys on currants, gooseberries, raspberries, roses, and such growths; but so far as has been noted, it does not carry itself very far afield, and gardeners need have no fear of it if not brought close to their boundaries.

In certain districts of Northern Marlborough the blight should prove a real boon if it can be applied without general danger to the profitable products of the soil.

Also in the paper:

The Wither Run, which consists of the range of hills directly south of Blenheim with the flats on the frontage, has been farmed with obvious success this year.

Some 300 acres have been devoted to oats, which were given an early sowing, and are now well forward, covering an extensive stretch of elevated country with bright green that adds not a little to the scenic outlook from Blenheim.

This season a larger proportion of the property than on any previous occasion has been put under crop, the ploughing line having crept well up the slopes; and the appearances are that the limit of practicable cultivation so far as cereals are concerned has been pretty nearly reached.

This agricultural enterprise should have excellent results, the present growth promising a profitable yield.

A visit to the property also revealed the fact that within recent years the rabbit pest there has been reduced to a minimum.

The eradicative measures have plainly been attended with success, with much advantage to the sheep- carrying capacity.