The Dickinson press., 1895-06-29
R NOT THRIVING.
LATE FROsTs GIVE THE THIsTLHs
A SETBACK.
They Are a. Numeroua ~ Ever IA
North Dakota, but Their Growth
HI Bee Retarded by the Cold
and Wet Weather.

Ueeu mucn taik OF tne recent IfOSt6 having
killed the cactus. especially in the southern
tier Of counties. While it is true that some
has been killed, that damaged by the frost
Is infinitesimal compared With the vast
growth over the state. The frost merely
destroyed the plant that, just at that time,
was In Its tender stage. Russian thistle Is
an annual plant and comes from the seed
only, but begins to grow in early spring
time and continues s%prouting and growing.
II the soil has been freshly broken, through
out the season. II one crop IL killed another
springs up at once from the seed distributed
over the ground In the fall and winter as
the wind rolls the cactus over the country.
The new cactus commission has issued a
circular to the farmers regarding the pest
in which they say the plant has been only
slightly damaged by frost, and of Its growth
and best manner of destruction they say
when conditions become favorable the seeds
that are buried in the soil will terminate
at any time In the season and grow best
during the warmest period, whether vet or
dry. In this latitude the plant begins to
blossom the middle Of August, and c0ntin-
ues to do so until checked by frost. After
blooming the seeds will mature sufficiently
to germinate in seven or eight days. The
most favorable time to kill the plant to pre-
vent seeding is from the 5th to the 25th Of
August. 1t il easily destroyed while young
on cultivated land by blowing under and
~&A . OGb AVpt u - uAS dkVN
crops by thorough narrowing Immediately
after planting, followed by repeated use of
a cultivator and finished with the hoe and
pulling by hand during the month of Au-
gust. Upon other than cultivated land the
weed Is best exterminated by cutting 1t
down to the very surface of the soil with
any sharp implement adapted to the differ
ent kinds of work. A road machine can be
used to good advantage on highways, trails
and such like. To destroy 1t In small grain
fields, as soon as the grain Is cut, the stub
BILE should be moved close 10 the ground
and burned when dry.
TIL thistle continues to spread, and there
Is not a county in the state east of the
missouri river In which 1t cannot be found.
Its spreading Is due not only to the wind,
which has been known to carry the cactus
for a hundred miles In one day, scattering
the seed everywhere, but to the railroads,
which carry 1t all along their lines, and to
foul wheat and tax shipped over the state
for seed.
The French weed continues to spread and
Is as troublesome as ever. A new weed
to the farmers at %least-is the 'tower mus
tard." Complaints come from all over the
state OF his new pest. 1t Is said to be
much more troublesome than the old-fash-
Toned mustard, being harder and more DIFF.
ficult to exterminate.
Notwithstanding the pests md recent
losses by hail, the crop conditions seem to
grow more favorable daily. One good rain
followed another, with hot, sunshiny days
Intervening. and growing conditions are
almost perfect.
Keeping 1t I'm Check.
Grand Forks, N. D., Special, June TO-
yet gained a foothold In this vicinity, and
farmers are greatly in hopes that they may
be able to keep 1t out. Isolated plants
were seen here and there last season, usu.
ally along roads, and owing to the great
scare about the weed every plant that could
be found wal destroyed before 1t could dc
damage by going to seed. Around Inkster
thirty miles northwest of Grand Forks, the
weed was seen In numerous patches last
year, and an investigation showed that II
originated from a field of five acres of fax
which had been sown the year before, and
which contained so much of the thistle thai
the field was abandoned without cutting
the farmers in the vicinity not knowing
the character of the weed. Last season
heroic measures were taken to stamp out
the weed In that vicinity by blowing uI
the few pieces affected seriously and de
stroying the plants in other fields. Tht
weed appeared also at quite a number Of
places in the vicinity of elevators and rail
road sidings. and evidently came from
points where the weed ia growing. TIL,
railroad and elevator companies took Wig
orous measures to prevent the weed from
going to seed, and very little has appeared
this season.
In the vicinity of Towner, in the western
j. part of the state, the weed appeared IL
considerable quantities last season, but |
is believed but little seed matured. TIT
district most affected by the pest Is ii
the southeastern corner Of the state, AM
only two or three counties have been seri
0usly damaged. The county commissioner
Of Cass county fenced out the weed las
fall by building wire fences with irol
posts along the entire length on the soutl
line. The weeds which are pulled up o
broken of In the counties affected by tn
weed are carried by the wind all over tn,
prairie, distributing their seeds by til,
million, but the weeds lodge against thes
wire fences and are burned as fast as the!
accumulate. As is well known, several ma
chimes were invented last winter designed
surface Of the ground, but so fas as know
here these have not proved a great success
thus far, owing, perhaps, to the unusua
amount Of rain this season. 1t was re
ported that the frosts of the latter part o
May destroyed the greater portion of tn
weeds growing in the infected district, bu
there Is ample time for them to grow
again. us they are naturally a late growing
plant and thrive best in hot, dry weather
Plants which, In the early part Of Angus
last year were hardly a foot high, had b.
the latter part of September, covered Al
area us large rs a wagon wheel. The enc
tus commission appointed by Gov. ALI
with authority to expend $4,000 in ex
terminating the pest ii necessary, ar
1 planning for a vigorous campaign ngains
the weed, but their plan Of operations ha
not yet been announced.
The weed known as French grass an
wild mustard are appearing in considerabl
quantities in sections where the farmer
have been careless. but this Is rather til
exception in this vicinity, and in the mai
wheat never looked better here than at til
present time.
Here's q State Of Things.
Science, dear Lady Betty, has d
minished hope, knowledge destroys
our illusions and experience has dc