The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-09-01
THE RUSSIAN THISTLE.

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 a
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
branches. During the dry weather in
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 diane
ter, forming dense bushy mass Of
spiny branches. By the middle of
September the exposed parts of the
plants have usually changed in color
from dark green to 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 tum-
bleweed, scattering seed wherever it
goes. The seed remains inclosed in the
paper-like perianth, and together with
this is loosely held in its 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 it's seed
until the following spring. When the
seed breaks loose from the plant, the
paper-like flower surrounding it acts as
sail, so that it may be carried long
distance oyer the snow Independently
of the rolling plant. The seeds will
not be carried through the air like this
tie down, except in tho case of very
high winds, and they will not
blow very far over bare ground. A
single plant of average size, two to
three feet in diameter, and weighing
two or three pounds at maturity when
dry, is estimated to bear 10000 to $4,000
seeds. Single plants have been found
six feet in diameter, weighing about
twenty pounds when thoroughly dry,
and estimated to bear about 100000
seeds. When seed crops are grown,
unless extreme care is taken in thresh-
ing and cleaning the grain, where the
Russian thistle abounds, the seeds of
the thistle are certain to be present
and to be sown with the grain the
following spring"
The following recommendations as
to the manner of combating the
thistle are given. Sow no small
grain that is not thoroughly clean
from weed seeds. The seed of
this plant is as large as mustard seed,
and may be known by the fact that the
embryo is spirally coiled, in form like
small snail shell.
A good wire fence is of much advan-
tage.
DO not break up any more Of the
native sod than you can tend and keep
clean.
Put all sown to wheat or small grain
in such condition that the crop may
have the best possible start of the
weed.
Do not allow scattering weeds to
reach tumbling size. Where it is
abundant NOV, rake and stack as you
would hay until the time comes when
you can burn it.
The weed should be plowed under
when immature.