Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-11-02
CACTUS.
Press Bulletin From the Government
AgrfcuIturaI Station for North d.

Salscla kali, var tragus, d. @.
This weed IL rapidly becoming q
most pernicious pest in this state. AS
II stands today it occupies, to the cx-
clusion " all other plants, about one
third of the cultivated land Of three
counties, aud Is otherwise quite gener-
ally distributed throughout the counties
OF Dickey, Sargent, Ia Moure, Mcln-
tosh. Ransom, Logan and parts OF
Richland md Emmons. 1t is TO be
found In small patches in most locali-
ties east of the Missouri river and
south of Elc Northern Pacific railway.
This article is written as a warning
to those who do not know Of the weed
by actual contact, but who, later. will
have to deal witlIit upon an extensive
scale, on theif own farms. unless great
vigilance Is very soon assumed and q
concerted effort made to check its dis
trfbution. IU1aS0
OF its damaging capabilities 1 need
Gully note khat entire fields of large area
may be sern into which 1t would be ex-
treme cruelty to force n team. because
Of tho large size, density and thorny
nature of the brush. Within the area
Of ifs distribution IN South Dakota
tnost of That portion know as the
James River Valley many farms are
being atapdoned, the cactus having
taken full possession.
From Lisbon to Edgeley and south
ward FROM these two points there may
be seen many fields which In the spring
gave promise OF n good yield OF wheat.
At this date the ground is occupied by
. solid mass OF cactus brush; and there
was no harvest. Three years ago farm
ers in that region were hardly aware
Of the existence Of such a weed, but
were at times interested in a few stray
cneS tumbling across the prairie. Six
teen years age the weed did not exist
In the Dakotas; vet is 1892 govern
ment officials estimated the damages
upon wheat land alone as being ST.
100000. The area of distribution in the
two states is now about 10000 square
miles. 5tEt
The weed is not 4 cactus or a thistle,
but Is commonly named Russian cac-
tus and Russian thistle because of its
origin and thorny nature. 1t Is a near
relative OF the native tumble weed
Amaranthus atbus IL and like 1t scat
tiers its seed pr'acipally by tumbIing be-
fore the wind. Its size varies. accord
tngly as 1t is or is not crowded in its
growth, from slight stiff sprigs, three
90 six inches high TO q dense, much
branchcd, harsh, thorny, rounded
bunch, three to six feet in diameter.
II is delicate and succuient while young,
but as It nearS maturity the branches
become hard ard stiff and bear ,nany
small rose colored flowers. The latter
are arranged alternately about one
fourth OF an inch apart, aud are cen,
closed by three short stiff. tborn-iiko
leaflets. Before blackened by frost the
stems are striped with red. Besides
dropping ont, as the weed Itumbles
along, the individual seeds may be
blown short distances because Of the
slight wings formed by the dried bios
som parts In which each is enclosed.
Points to Keep in Mind-This weed
grows only from the seed.
Only weeds which have been allowed
TO reach large size ever tumble. These
are, I'm most part fcundAonly In waste
places, or Improperly eultiyfteds spots,
k,ich Us margins OF wheat fields. old
fire breaks, gopher knobs. et6- "A good
fence will stop most of these. Z
At any time when weeds are mature
enough TO break Observation-Disclosures
accord they can be collected and
burned. %N
When young, the plant is eaten greed
ilv by sheep and caffl6 - FF3TT 4
The weed perishes8 Immediately kby.
being uprooted or cut off mt the base;
and it's seeds are short liyed. When
growing in small form because of its
density upon the ground. IL may be
turned under Sy the plow in early
August, and thus In most parts de-
stroyed; or If left until niaturc there,
viii be n time late in the fall when IL
together with the stubbie and other
weeds may be cleared fronr the land by
Ere. ~
It does not grow upon the native
prairie sod, save where there are bare
srots. During the month OF August a
comparatively small force OF workmcn
would suffice TO destroy al weeds upon
road margins and the Wild lands OF
the worst infested township in the
state. a ng @ II
The weed natures it's seed but slow
ly, so that u y~igilantly destroyed dur
ing the early portion of the season, frost
viii very effectually destroy The later
liants.
Aside from its tumbiing capacities
this weed possesses no quality which
would make IL hard 10 eXterminate
under Il careful system of farming and
road management
To summarize, this weed Is spread
ing more rapidly, perhaps, than any
heretofore known, and. anGcr the pres
err. ir,Sc a~ttention which 1t Is receiv-
flg. will Sooa cause an enormous
atpa,int Of damage throughout tie STATE.
wiep 6ncc ii has generally taSel Ius-
ses>in.i OF a large area OF ami .'nly
hsro . n tasuies WIN Keep 1t In ultck,
There arr. however, no cool reasons
why 4 should bc allowed 10 cDlinu-
ali; tncruach upon new land.
Si.ggcStions-Sow no snaill c:iin
that is not thoroughly clean from weed
seals The seed OF this plant is IS
iargs as Il mustard seed. ani may he
known ly lie fact that the embryo is
sp.r.Ily o.tIcd, I'm form like = snail
soail shell. ~ rrrayf Wy
A good wire fence Is OF mucn ad-
vantage. 49, ~ - ~
To not break up any more az thr nj
i've sol than yoR can tend AMI itep
clean. @Fnfts 3