The Globe-republican., 1894-08-17
THE NEW PEST.
Che Kansas Agricultural Department Tell |
How to Fight the Russian Thistle.

| Che Kansas Agricultural Department Tells
How to Fight the Russian Thistle.
Secretary Coburn, of the state board
Of agriculture, has issued Russian
thistle bulletin which farmers of the
state may find of much benefit to them
n giving a knowledge of the this tie,
ance in some counties of the state. The
bulletin is pamphlet of sixteen pages
and not only fully describes the pest
out tells how to combat it. The pub
lication can be had free by addressing
f. d. Coburn. secretary state board OF
agriculture, Topeka. Kan.
After giving a history of the first ap-
pearance of the thistle in this country,
Secretary Coburn gives a description
Of it taken from bulletin issued by
the United States department of agri-
culture.
lin May and June the seeds of the
weed terminate, each sending up on a
slender red stem two narrow green
leaves about an inch long and some
what similar in appearance to shoots
Of grass. Between these seed leaves
short stem soon appears bearing slen-
der, spine-tipped leaves, which later
produce branches in their axis. These
young shoots and leaves are tender and
juicy, and are eagerly eaten by sheep,
cattle and horses. Until the dry
weather begins, the plants grow rather
slowly, but they store up an abundance
of moisture in the succulent leaves and
<11o,. ~,
August the moisture disappears from
the slender leaves, and they wither and
sometimes fall off.
During August and early September
the plants become rigid throughout
and increase rapidly in size, often
growing two or three feet in height
and four to six feet in diameter, form
ing dense bushy mass of spiny
branches. BY the middle of September
the exposed parts of the plants have
usually changed in color from a dark
green to a crimson or rose red.
''The root, one-half inch or less in
diameter, is broken at the surface of
the ground by the force of the wind,
and the plant is blown about as a tum-
bleweed. scattering seed wherever it
goes. The seed remains inclosed in the
perianth, and together with
this is loosely held in it's place by num-
erous twisted hairs, so that it is not
readily shaken loose from the plant. A
plant may, therefore, roll about all
winter and still retain some of its seed
until the following spring. When the
lie 1o 1n
paper-like flower surrounding it acts
as sail, so that it may be carried a
long distance over the snow independ-
emily of the rolling plant. The seeds
would not be carried through the air
like thistle down, except in the case of
very high winds, and they would not
be blown very far over bare ground.
"A single plant of average size, two
TO three feet in diameter, and weigh
ng two or three pounds at maturity
when dry, is estimated to bear 10000
% 10000 seeds. Single plants have
been found six feet in diameter, weigh
ng about twenty pounds when thor
,ughly dry, and estimated to bear
lbout 2OO 900 seeds
!
extreme care is taken in threshing and
cleaning the grain, where the Russian
thistle abounds. the seeds of the this
lie are certain to be present and to be
;own with the grain the following
'pring. If the grain is shipped to dis
ant localities. the seeds of the thistle
70 with it. If the thistle is allowed to |
ICED in our state. its rapid spread is in
vital BILE.
The following recommendations as
@ the manner of combating the thistle |
ire given in the bulletin:
Sow no small grain that is not thor
'ughly clean from weed seeds. The
eed of this plant is as large as mus
ard seed. and may be known by the
act that the embryo is spirally coiled.
n form like small snail she'll
A good wire fence is of much adyan.
age.
Do not not break up any more of the
lative sod than you can tend and keep
lean.
Put all land sown to wheat or small
rain in such condition that the cror
nay have the best possible start of the
weed.
Do not allow scattering weeds tc
each tumbling size. Where it is
bundant NOW. rake and stack as Won
would hay until the time comes when
'ou can burn it.
The weed should be plowed under
when immature.
Never try to run barren fallow
where this plant is abundant.
Patches of the weed may be effectu.
lily destroyed, as follows: Instead o!
rying to run barren fallow, sow on
fair quantity of the small grain. say
We. wheat or oats. pasture until late
n July or first of August, then turn
nder thoroughly.
To keep land which is yet free from
he pest from becoming seeded by the
weeds and free seeds. the fol-
owing plan is worthy of trial: Sow
ach spring strip of sunfowers about
ne drill width around each field. In
uce these to grow as dense and strong
S possible. Leave the stalks standing