Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-09-19
noxlous WEEDS OF WISCONSIN.
From Bulletin No. 20, Agricultural Experiment
Station, Madison.
THE Ox-EYE DAISY, WHITE DAISY OR
WHITE WEED.
(Leacanthenlam valgare, LAM

Description. The stems of the ox-eye
daisy, of which several often grow from
one root stock, are one TO two feet long,
are little branehed and rather sparcely
clothed with narrow, coarsly toothed or
gashed leaves which are broadest near
the upper end. The upper leaves are
attached directly to the stem with
clasping fringed base. the lower ones
have a more or less clearly defined pet
iole or leaf stalk The stems are slight
ly downy, and are distinctly angular.
Each stem and branch terminates in
what commonly passes for flower.
but which IS really multitude of small
individual lowers, closely compacted
together. forming the yellow. convex,
cushion-like center of the fiower-head.
The outer row of these little flowers, or
horets as they are called, are different
from the Others, being white, and each
one is spread out flat so that it appears
like petal to the whole flower head.
The ox-eye daisy propogates itself by its
seeds, of which it produces immense
numbers, and also by creeping under
ground stems or rootstocks. Ii is a
perennial plant, living in the ground
from year to year. 1t is rarely trouble
some except in meadows or pasture
lands, and is most prevalent in rather
poor soils.
The ox-eye daisy has sometimes and
very appropriately, been cultivated in
the flower garden. 1t is near relative
OF the garden chrysanthemum, and,
with the care that has been bestowed
upon the latter, would doubtless equal
it in attractiveness. 1t has also been
introduced into some localities as a
forage plant for sheep, for which it
seems poorely adapted, as it is said
that the close grazing of sheep destroys
il.
1t seems almost a pity that we are
compelled 10 condemn this attractive
plant as pernicious weed. But such
is the case. Where tolerated, it often
intrudes itself into pasture and meadow
lands to so great an extent as to crowd
out more useful plants, and thus be-
comes source of damage.
Ho'0 best destroyed. 1t is hardly practi-
cable to exterminate the ox-eye daisy
from grass land in which it has secured
hold without breaking up the sod and
summer following the ground, or devot-
ing it for time t. some hoed crop.
Cutting the stems before the flowers
open will prevent the seeding, but does
not destroy the plant nor stop the
spreading of rootstocks.
Toad FLAX, BUTTER AND EGGS, RAN
STED.
(LinGria Uaigarts, MILL
Description. This plant grows to the
height of one TO two, rarely three, feet
The leaves somewhat resemble those of
flax, being narrow, rather sharp pointed,
irregularIy scattered on the stem, and
very numerous. The shdvy, yellow
flowers grow in dense obibng cluster
at the top of the stem. These are irreg-
ular in form. having two lips which are
pressed closely together, of which the
lower is bright orange. and slender
awlshaped protusion at the base, called
a spur. They are followed by pods
which are divided into two cavities by
partition across the center, each of
which is filled with small seeds. that es-
cape through holes near the top of the
pods.
The toad-flax is perennial, and is
propagated both by its seeds and
by its creeping root stocks. 1t
incineS to form large patches. and
SO far as it extends, take almost exclu-
sive possession of the soil and is rather
difficult of extirpation.
History. Mr.. Watson in his annals
of Philadelphia states that this plant
was introduced into that city, as
garden flower from Wales by Welsh
resident named Ransted 1t is also
said TO have been first introduced in
Wisconsin as flower garden plant.
But for its aggressive qualities, its pro-
fusion OF snowy flowers would have
maintained for it popular place in tie
perennial border, but its disposition to
monopolize the soil has caused it to be
catalogued with the noxious weeds. 1t
has become common in the east and is
extending westward, having already in.
vaded Wisconsin in many localities.
Hon best destroyed. A milder treat
ment than that recommended for the
OK eye daisy will hardly avail with this
plant. Grubbing out The roots may be
practicable for small areas, but where
the patches are numerous and large, the |
summer fallow is the only treatment |
that is likely to be effectual.
CoCKLEBUR, CLoTBUR.
(XGnthium strumariun, L.
Description, This is the only plant |
named in the weed law that lives but |
one season. 1t is a rapid growing,
coarse weed with an irregular branching
stem that grows 10 the height of one to |
two feet. The leaves. which are borne
on long leaf stalks, are broadly triangu-
lar in general outline and more or less
toothed and lobed on the borders There
are two kinds of flowers borne on sep
arate heads or clusters on the same
plant. The male or staminate flowers
are produced in roundish heads at the |
top of the stem. After shedding their
pollen, these drop off, and the female |
or pistilate flowers, which are in clust-
ers of two to three at the base of the |
male spike, enlarge and form thick. |
hard, oblOng burs beset with stiff hooked |
prickles, and bearing two strong beaks
at the upper end. These burs, like |
those of the burdock, adhere to cloth