The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-02-02
Russian Cactus.
An IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.

VIVA - ~
the following from their report OF tn
meeting Of Tuesday evening on the al
absorbing Russian cactus question:
AT the cactus meeting last evening
Senator McCarten presiding, %accountc
for the absence Of Prof. Bollev by reason
of the death of Prof. Whalen OF the Farp,
Agricultural college. Senator Casey wa
indisposed and did not feel able to attend
the members of the JOINT committee wer,
all present and almost every seat WIS oc
CUPID. e. A. Underwood had a model o
his machine for burning the cactus, on OK
hibition. The machine for use will be
about 1922 feet made of 2O.guage stee
add will weigh about 5000 pounds. The
fire box is about two feet in depth. The
fire is originated by straw or stubble in
bare ground by M iron bar which be.
comes red hot and hugs the ground. pick
ing up and burning the seeds even. Fans
are keeptin motion by an endless chain
attached to the wheels, while two smoke
stacks carry off the smoke and add to the
fan created draft. This device for burning
is drawn by four horses and 1t is claimed
will destroy uttarly every plant seed on
thirty acres or moro a day. The cost of
the machine is estimated at $3.50. 1t is
proposed that it be used on vacant lands
in August, Sests0ying the growing plant
be ore it seeds, and that it follows the
harvesters, burning the stubble and with
it the cactus which has gained a tooth old
while the crop is maturing.
Hon. C. A. Pollock was the first speak,
or and spoke in general terms of the pest.
OF the dangers aud the need of action. ur-
ging that the localities which do not have
it are equally interested with those that 90.
for 1t is sure to be on them unless it can
be eradicated.
Mr.. Devine had been familiar with the
cactus since 1885, whom il first made it's
appearance at Edgsrly. So far rs known
it originated in this country in the rus
sian. settleme nts in Bonhomme county,
South Dakota, fourteen years ago. He had
seen fields q thick mass of it only two or
three inches high, aud again had seen it
sailing over the prairies, scattering seeds
everywhere, presenting the appearance of
millions of sheep. Some of the plants
measure So feet high by 515 feet wide
and ak feet lorg, aud a single plant car
ries seed enough to grow plants which
will cover n quarter section.
Governor Shortlidge gave an account of
his trip to Washington, of the astonish-
ment Of members of congress who had
never heard Of it, of the failure of J. Sterl-
ing Morton to comprehend, of his max
ing a party question in opposition tt
national aid; Of his later admission that it
cont tho country $2O,OoO,Ooo last year,
would cost it $%io,O0o.O0o this year.
as insisted that the people who have the
pest can not bear the cost of Kidding even
their W farms Of it; that state aid was
absolutely necessary.
Lion. F. II. Kinter followed. He spoke
his first acquaintance with the cactus
IN 1880. when it was brought to Edgerly
by the Milwaukee load from South Dako-
ia. At that time $500 would have rid
i.aMoIre county OF it, and $500 Dickey
Since then it has spread 100 miles
through Sargent into Richland, and
it was only n question of time when it
would completely overrun the Red River
1t is rolled along before thu au.
tumn wind and the seed carried in the
drifting snow of winter. It grows in spite
ofdrouttl. but, like wheat, tiourishes best
in favorable seasons. He spoke of wheat,
which. On the 18th of July. promised
twenty bushels per acre, checked by cac-
tus i'll August to such an extent that it
almost impossible to "a through it
a team. OF eighty acres of breaking
in July without a plant that was 50 thickly
covered in October that a hat thrown up
OH it could not touch the ground; from
seed scattered OF the prairie the year be.
fore, or carried there by drifting snow in
He said there were thousands and
of acres in the cactus districts
the farmers were forced to abond-
Summer falloYing only promoted its
growth. Burning in the fall did no good,
but he has seen fields where it was burned
of in the spring, where the crop was put
in with a disc harrow, which yielded
twenty-six bushels OF wheat per acre, but
the burning left strips on which
cactus sprang up and was as bad as
There wal no way to exterminate ex-
cept by fro and he called attention to
the Underwood machine, which from tests
made he believed would destroy it. A forty
mile wind would in three days seed Walsh
from this district, therefore Walsh
and all Red river counties was Interested.
He favored ar appropriation of 10000
for 200 of these machines to placed in the
hands of the county commissioners of the
infected regions and they be made respon-
sible for their use. The cost of using
them on the vacant and abandoned land
to be CHARGED to the land and collected As