Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-10-22
Last winters Law as to NoxIou, weeds,


1t is not the fault of the Legislators
of the state il noxious weeds still grow
and thrive in the state of Wisconsin
As early as 1858 it was enacted that
any one who should permit snapdrag-
ons or Canada thistles to 60 TO seed
upon his land should be deemed guilty
of misdemeanor and punished by
fine of from five to one hundrded dol
lars. This law proved to be ineffect-
ual, for it was the special duty of no
one to make complaint, and the farm
ers, who were mainly interested in its
enforcement, were all culpable, aud no
one Of them dared complain against
his neighbors. We doubt if there was
ever a prosecution under this law.
Seeing its inutility it was at length re-
pealed, and in its place it was enacted
that every person should destroy all
snapdragons, Canada thistles and bur-
docks upon his land so as to prevent
| them from bearing seed, and it was
made the duty of each oyerseer of high
ways to destroy all such weeds that
grew in the highways of his road dis
trict, and upon all unoccupied lands
therein, aud upon all occupied lands
where the occupants neglected to de-
stroy them. ) For this service it was
provided that the oyerseer should re-
ceiye such compensation as the town
board might fix, and that the amount
paid him for destroying the weeds upon
the lands of individuals would be
charged against the lands as a tax, aud
be collected with the other taxes. This
law, too, failed to accomplished its
purpose, so the last legislature enacted
new law on the subject-Chapter 233
of the laws of 1885 which provides
that it shall be the duty OF every per-
son who occupies or controls land to
destroy all weeds known as Canada
thistles, burdock, teasel, white daisy
and snapdragon at such time as shall pre-
vent their bearing seed, upon his lands,
and to the center of the highways adj
joining them, and that if he fails to de-
stroy them after having six days notice
in writing from the commissioner of
Canada thistles,' he shall be fined five
dollars for the first offense, and ten
dollars for each subsequent offense.
The law provides that the supervisors
of each town shall appoint town
officer to be known as the ssCommiss-
Toner of Canada thstles,n and it is
made his duty to hunt out the noxious
weeds in his township, to give notice to
the persons upon whose lands they are
growing, to destroy them, and if they
neglect to do so to himself destroy all
of them. He is to spend in this bust
ness as many days as the supervisors
may deem necessary and is to receive
fer his compensation one dollar and a
half day and one half of all fines col
lected. The amount paid him for de-
stroying the weeds upon the lands of
individuals is to be placed in the next
tax roll as charge against the lands.
1t is the duty of the chairman of every
town to read this law at the annual
town meeting each year.
1t seems to us that this law ought in
some degree at least to accomplish its
object. If good live Commissioner
OF Canada thistles" is appointed in each
town. and he has proper eye to the
''recompense of the reward, he can
stir up the farmers and land owners
generally and what with his perdiem,
and his half of the fines, he can make
good wages.