The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-14
rHk RUSSIAN THTsTLE
A Pest o. Vyes,er- Far-ers whose Dsstrue-
tiou Thsy Wouid ne Gisd 90 shin Upou
Congress aus the National Treasury.

tio. They wouid ne Gisd 90 shin Upov
! Congress ans the NatIopni Treasury.
! WASHINGTON. Feb. 12.-The bill Of Mr.. Hans
/ brough for the determination Of the ealtwort
/ or Russian thistle. which may before Ions
| come up for discussion In the Senate. Affords
rather a striking Instance OF the improper
tasks which some people would impose on th g
Federal Government
II provides for engaging a number Of agents
who under the Secretary Of Agriculture are
| to employ and direct all necessary help" fot
destroying this noxious weed. wherever 1t Is
found. The compensation OF the agents ls Ia
be So day and that Of the helpers So for
adult males and 81 Tor females and boys un-
der 10 years old. The sum OF 81. 900. 900 Is to
be Lproptiated forthwith for this purpose and
to be made i'm IN ediately available. and annual
reports OF progress are TO be made.
The Russian thistle or cactus IL a great pest.
little over two years ago the Secretary OF
Agriculture noted that 1t was rapidly spread
ing and threatened to become one Of the very
worst OF weeds to contend with. 1t had then
gained a strong foothold in the Dakotas eX-
tending eastward into Minnesota and Wlscon-
sin, was ioun In northern Nebraska, and had
been detected along railroad tracks near Dem
vcr. II resembles the familiar tumbleweed.
and ~ destructive to cultivated fields,
especially wheat fields. 1t being less easily got
at there than In corn fields. II is not found at
all in low wet places. rarely on the unbroken
prairie. aud grows vigorously in very poor soil.
The report OF the Secretary Of Agriculture for
1892 gives these points about It:
Ths Russian thistle crows best on high. dry land
dry seasons not because they cannot stand wet
plants The thistle appears grow equally we'll in al
saline and non ak aLins sofia roughns IN The spring
q the Russian thistle since th,n obsns nthoronsh
the soil
1t has been said that cattle aud sheep will
eat the weeds when very young. but as they
grow fast and the stalk becomes hard. they
soon become useless as fodder. The spines
make 1t hard to drive horses through a field
where II abounds. unless feathers are fastened
about their legs. and thrashers have hard work
with it, even when protected with gloves. Tho
weeds often grow bulky. making 1t difficult to
run harvesting machinery or even a plough
through them. They favor railroad grades
with thelr presence. and there prevent tho
growth OF grass that might keep the roads
from washing. In an official document issued
last year. called Farmers Bulletin No. 10
these further facts are given about the thistle:
A. tame.v.sd. they are carried ID tpr mite. by the
they often advance nye or ten miles In single
further Thc general advance in the direction Of the
prevailing winds or this most frequent high winds but
the shifting breekes beat the plants about and seed all
the area ocenpied In many localities wh.r. few
otiand where the ha. been broken occupied
On every badger 6.trow anG o.srfsd spot IL ne
break and neglected garden on every held OF carry
Hes The seeds are not aud there with Eastern
weeds. 6ui they are evsrywhsrs The few Piins N;
for miles in every direction.
stealing ride. on the 6r.Ie:rods and on the nS.
Thy RE- also ssoa IN e S'asn. TO % GS
S .: but IN none OF the ''D'' grains raised IN tue
The writer OF that document estimated that
In 1892 the two DaEotas had lost in their
wheat fields Sl.6O0.O0o from this pest and
that the losses In other crops. taken together
with the injuries caused by the spines and the
breaks. Would reach $500. 90 Mr.. Hans
ton. and learned that the estimate OF loss to
wheat IN ne d Two Dak9tas ior the year lSEs
C with Othsr a snae n oat sgS ane
gate OF 1905 900 is estimated. besides $780,
600 for Iowa and Nebraska.
ton in North Dakota. finds that many farms
are aband Toned to the cactus In South Dakota.
farmers were hardly aware 81 the sxistencs s ~
such weed, or occasionally saw a few stray
;5i. tsm6nG Af.os: the prairie
mass Of cactus brush. and there is no har-
vest" Assistant Botanist Dewey further shows
now found in seventy Ave counties in the Da-
kotas, Nebraska. Minnesota. Wisconsin, Iowa
thirds Of the iSnd. with an estimated damage
OF one-hith TO the entire CROP In Woodbury.
ssSas OS Sr d IN 49, s sGsf s Sr s
1893 at $50. 900. Thus far in fact il Is the rate
OF increase rather than the actual damage that
been suggest cd for eradicating the weed are
late summer following. early fall plouGhing.
But while the foregoing statements are made
full enough to do entire justice to the extent
1l s psf5 y mn TbS % tb ADDED GSrs
United States should undertake to eradicate
Il such operations In husbandIy are wholly
belong to tho States and not to the Federal
task upon the Federal Government has per-
hans been suggested by the attem ut made In
public lands before disposins Of them. But in
reality the Government might as well under
take crusade against all weeds. or perhaps
nONious animals.
1t has been suggested as a reason why the
work tina, the Russian thistle is spreading
upon unsold public lands: which accordingly
RoWeVer can Certainly create no eblration on
the part OF the Government, Just as the latter
would have no claim for damages because the
thistle had Leen carried upon the public lands
from farms that were under cultivation.
Mr., HansbrouKh further suggests as a rea-
OF the thistle was brought to this country by
i'm m grants. and the immigrants came here
under the provisions OF treaties and laws that
came from Congress. In this respect II is in |
the same category with cholera, pleuro pneu-
monia or any other dreid disease against |
which Congress legislates without question"
i seems 10 be admitted that 1t first came 10 |
Bon liomms county. South Dakota. in faKssed |
brought from Russia years ago. appearing |
I'm SanktOn county four years later and that |
possibly fresh seed came from other Russian !
fax fields about 1871 or lSSS whom II was nrst |
n oticed as a serious evil. But II car hardly he |
that the Federal Government has |
thereby Incurred any responsibility in the |
matter. 1t is a subject Tor State and local |
d tion, and there r. no end to the pAternalism |
hat might result were Congress TO pass such |
4 bill as Mr. Hansbrough proposes.
The vigorous letter of Secretary Morton on |
The subject previously quoted in these |
columns, asks what right tho Government |
agents would have to go upon cultivated pri- !
declares that the expenditures proposed would |
- futile and " wick edly Nasted" Without StAIa