106577

The photo depicts a demonstration of a flame thrower for controlling weeds to a group of Agricultural Bureau members in the early 1950s.

The demonstrator may well be Hector Orchard who was very influential in weed control until his untimely death in a motor vehicle accident in 1956 returning from field work.

Hector played a major part in the development of the Weeds Act 1956 which saw a major focus on effective control of noxious weeds in SA.

Flame control for weed control had only very limited application and was undoubtedly derived from technology developed during the Second World War.

More effective chemical control measures which were also developed during that period proved to be far more effective.

The use of groups such as the one depicted played an extremely important part in the extension of new technologies and techniques to the agricultural community.

The flame thrower probably played a far more important role in the broadacre development of cleared scrubland where a portable and effective ignition source was needed to burn stacked heaps.

(source: Richard Downward through Sarah Harrison, 2007)