The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-17
THE RUSSIAN THISTLE.

issued bulletin on the Russian thistle in
producers from the soil, and for the mat
ter of that to all owners of real estate in
towns and cities, since it appears that
these places serveas breeding spots for the
pest.
This thistle belongs to the class of tum-
bic weeds, and as we know it is modi-
fication of plant that was once harm
less thing. 1t was introduced into the
United States through the mediumship OF
impure tiaxseed brought from Russia
into South Dakota in 1873 but 1t was not
until 1880 that it created any alarm, by
which time it had considerably spread
and its bad effects upon wheat and barley
fields were causes of complaint. 1t may
now be said to be troublesome in very
large if not the larger part of the agri-
cultural area of the United States, and in
California is sufficiently prominent to
demand serious attention, but just how it
has spread with us is not known. and the
Experiment Station invites information
on that point, for by early action the pest
in lis infancy here may be stamped out.
The local distribution of the thistle is
mainly by winds. When the ground is
hard it's light, round masses containing
the seeds of the plant are swept over
the surface for many miles shedding
the seed. A mature plant will bear from
loo, 900 to 200, 900 seeds, and as one of the
tufted carriers of the seeds has been
known to travel sixty miles in day, the
rapidity with which the plant may be
distributed can be imagined.
Distribution is also aided by badly
| cleaned wheat sold for seed. It is also
assisted by railroad cars, to which the
seed clings and is carried hither and
thither. 1t appears, indeed, to follow
lines of travel mostly. In the bedding
and litter of stock cars the thistle seed is
much carried and distributed. Emigrants
carry it in their stock feed. 1t is trans
ported in agricultural machinery, and in
hundred other ways, as will be readily
comprehended.
Once established in the soil it kills all
other plant life and absorbs all vitality
from the soil. 1t spreads rapidly and
seldom decays. The stiff horny weed
makes it difficult to run harvesting ma
chimes and annoys both men and horses.
| It thrives on high dry soil and is per-
fectly at home in alkali.
| But this thistle may be easily killed by
cultivation, though of course that means
money output. Sloyenly summer fallow.
says the University bulletin before US,
is friendly to tie thistle. Such land must
be kept free from weeds all the year
round, if one would be sure of q clean
grain plot the succeeding season. The
monograph gives in some detail the lit
erature of the subject and sketches the
various anti-weed laws Of several States.
While in this State we have no Russian
| thistle law there are anti-weed laws I'M
der which much good action can be
taken. The Scotch Thistle Act of 1872 is
in point. The County Government Act
providing for the destruction of gophers,
| squirrels, noxious weeds and insect pests
| injurious to fruit trees is also helpful
law.
Within incorporated towns and cities
| ordinances to destroy and keep out the
Weed may we'll supplement the State
laws, in addition to the special Act of
1873 relative to the eradication of weeds
within municipal bounds. This law au-
thorizes towns and cities to declare weeds
in town a public nuisance, and to COM
pei lot-owners to abate the nuisance.
AS the plant is an annual it is easily
| killed in the growing season. For three
months from the time that it sprouts no
good farmer need be afraid of it. But
there must be action, for no Russian
thistle must be allowed to produce seed,
The vitality of the seed is low, and the
conditions affecting such vitality are
moisture and heat. Mr.. Shinn, the au-
thor of the University monograph on the
thistle says:
| The seeds crack, and the germ Is destroyed
| by q low degree of dry heat, hence when
| sIubble and pasture fields are burned over in
| the autumn the larger part OF the thistle seed
| Will be kept from terminating. The tap-root
| will not sprout again when cut on the surface,
and if the plants are plowed under they perish
| as easily as mallOws. In orchards, vineyards,
| beet fields, and all lands devoted TO hoed
! crops, there should be no trouble, with re-
spectacle cultivation. But if a farmer stops
| at the limits of his cultivated land, ne must
| do the same work every year. Fence corners,
| creek borders, and waste places of every de-
scription, must receive the same attention, or
| the Russian thistle Will again seed the fields.
| The slipshod cultivation so often seen
| even in the most fertile parts of California,
| and perhaps endurable with less aggressive
| weeds, though never advisable or profitable,
| becomes entirely impracticabie after the Rus
sian thistle once obtains a foothold.
In Minnesota great stress is laid upon
the use of what is called green manure
fallow" in cultivated lands. Modified for
California, this means to pillow shallow
with the first rains, and sow bur clover
or some similar crop, to pillow under,
with the young thistles for green crop
fertilizer. After the last blowing the
! field must be gone over and any stray
plant hoed out. If the thistle is found in
| grain fields, the advice is to cut to hay
very early, and pillow the stubble under
without waiting for the aftermath. A
second blowing may be necessary. In
most sections this system will clear out
the thistle in two seasons if no seeds