The Helena independent., 1894-11-17
THE LITTLE PESTS.
PLANTS THAT LIVE ON OTHER PLANTS
An interesting Talk With Emil Starr, the
Well Known Botanst, on an Inter.
ostlng Subject.

Besides insects and weeds. like the
locust and Russian thistle. which mo-
lest the farmer 10 a great extent and
keep him always on the alert, there are
still more dangerous enemies, ready 10
invade O field OF wheat oats, alfalfa,
etc, and destroy II In relatively short
time" said Emil Starr the well-known
botanist, recently. These enemies are
called parasites. They are either plants
or animals, that grow on others and
take their nouriBhment directly from
them. There are numerous kinds Of
parasites. each one differing from the
other, and | don't intend 10 enumerate
or describe them all. but shall only mem
tion few OF the most important yege-
table kind.
"As man has his worst enemies among
men, 80 have our plants theirs among
plants. Nor do those enemies always
belong to the fungi. which ls the lowest
class OF animal life, There are some OF
the meanest rascals right among the
high life OF the vegetable society. For
example, the mlstletoe, parasitic
plant, invades various kinds OF trees,
especially apple trees and pine trees
In appearance It looks, with its yell
lowish green leaves, like part of the
tree itself. so close does 1t grow TO the
tree. Yet II is pest and does great
damage among the fruit trees. The
mistletoe is phacnagamous plant,
with root, stem, leaves, flowers and
fruits, and belongs 10 the family of the
loranthaceae. The fruit resembles a
white berry with jelly-like endocarp,
In which the seeds are lmbedded. Birds
deposit these seeds on the twigs and
branches OF the trees, where they ger
inmate. sinking their roots into the
bark and wood and taking the neces-
sary nourishment direct from the sub
strata. The end OF that will be. of
course. the slow. but systematic. kill
Ing OF the tree by the parasite.
ITO stop the spreading OF that pest,
the farmer will have 10 watch and cut
the parasite out in Its earliest growing
period. or at least before fruits are
ripened. The mistletoe (viscumalbum)
does not occur In Montana, but some
others OF the same family are found on
pine and and Juniper trees.
Now | will tell you OF another OF the
parasites of high standing among phac-
nagamous plants, more murderous and
tncTelOfe more important 10 lne FARMER
than the other II In the dodder, or
cuscuts, belonging TO the family OF the
convolvulaceae, the same one to which
our morning glory is attributed, The
dodder is found all over the world. and
there are about eighty-two different
cuscutas living on numerous cultivated
and wild plants. Especially does II in
wade clover, alfalfa, potatoes, fax,
hemp and many other valuable plants.
The dodder terminates from seeds In
the ground and grows quite rapidly.
Already I'm Its first period OF life II looks
out for innocent plants around which II
can wind As soon as that parasite has
found an able brother plant to support
itself II develops on its stem great
number OF suckers, which penetrate
the endermis Of the invaded plant and
suck out all nourishment and life from
the latter. At this time the root dies
away from the dodder, the yellow
thread-like steam winds like a snake
around the sacrificed plant. developing
numerous suckers Tho next period in
the growing of the parasite brings out
clusters OF little white or rose-colored
flowers which are soon fertiliZed, The
seeds OF the doddeT ripen just before
the invaded plant is entirely exhausted.
"rhe farmer has TO be very careful In
harvesting clover, alfalfa. etc, which In
infested by the dodder. He has to NOW
the crop before the dodder produces
seeds"