The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-15

round firm head from one and half to
three feet high and twice as broad Its
growth is extremely rapid and the plant
hardens SO as to be quite thorny as early
as August.
Like the common tumble-weeds of Cali
fornia and the Middle West, the season of
rolling is in the fall, when the action of
the wind causes the root to break at the
surface of the ground, and the plant is
blown about over many miles of territory
and often for many successive weeks. The
seeds are held in place in the axis of the
bracts by two minute tufts of coiled hairs,
which prevent them from falling all at
once. A large, mature plant will some
times bear from 1907 600 to 100000 seeds,
and the method in which these seeds are
borne distributes them over an immense
area. The popular literature of the sub
ject is full OF stories which illustrate this
point. In one instance farmer IS said to
have labeled a Russian thistle, and twenty
four hours afterward the plant was discov-
cred sixty miles awayl
For many years it has been very destruc-
tive in the wheat, barley and fax fields of
Russia. Large areas on the Caspian Sea
have had to be abandoned to the weed,
which is continually extending it's territory.
In 1873 some impure fax seed brought from
Russia and sold in Scotland Township,
Bon Homme County, South Dakota, con-
tanned seeds of this dangerous tumble
weed. A map compiled by the Agricul-
tural Department in 1894 affords an easy
means of tracing its gradual extension
from Bon Homme. 1t seems to have taken
nearly ten years for it to extend over the
six adjacent counties. Probably during
this decade it really obtained foothold in a
small way over the larger part of North
and South Dakota, but it hardly excited
much serious alarm until 1880. After 1884
its advance was much more rapid, and by
! al - i n.
causing extensive damage over half the
area OF the Dakotas, and was recognized
as rapidly gaining possession of the other
half. Following along the lines of travel
and carried downward by irrigation bitches,
it had appeared in many widely isolated
spots, each one of which was new center
of infection. It was already recognized as
extremely dangerous in Minnesota, Wis
consin, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio and
Colorado. 1t had reached the British line
on the north, Kansas on the south and
Oregon on the west.
The Government reports from which
these facts are obtained state that "the
rapidity with which the thistle has spread,
in injecting new territory and in Thoroughly
covering that already infected, far exceeds
that of any weed known in America.
Throughout 5000 square miles it is very
troublesome and is causing large amount
of damage.
OGucI IcpOIGS place GU6 LOSSES OF
the wheat farmers of Dakota from this
cause at over So, 900 900, which sum is equal
to the annual State and county taxes. The
local distribution of the Russian thistle is
chiefly by means of the winds. Large
round masses are driven for miles, scatter
ering seeds along their track, and gusts of
wind beat them pack and forth, covering
the intermediate areas.
This means of distribution would not
have brought the seeds to California for
many years to come. The seeds were
brought in badly cleaned cereals, fax and
other field crops, although they are small,
and SO easily separated that only gross
carelessness can cause much danger from
this source. The seeds, however, are more
often carried long distances in the bed
ding and litter of stockcars, or in crevices
in freight or machinery packed on fiatcars.
Emigrants may also convey such seeds
over considerable areas in the feed of their
animals, and in their wagons.
Wherever the Russian thistle obtains a
hold it crowds the other vegetation out of
existence and when in grain fields in any
quantity its woody stalk makes difficult
|, the running Of harvesting machinery.
Last year bill was introduced into
Congress to appropriate 100000 for the
destruction of the thistle, but the opinion
prevailed that it was better to depend
upon the counties and townships affected.
Efforts have been madeGto destroy the
thistle in Los Angeles County, where it has
secured a considerable hold in the Ante
lope valley and along the outskirts of the
Moiave Desert. 1t was undoubtedly
brought into that section on the cars from
Nebraska and other infected spots. 1t has
already passed the Tehachapi range into
Kern County.
The Agricultural Board and inspectors
at the various experimental stations are
earnestly discussing what can be done to
stop the growth of the thistle before it
obtains too great hold upon the open
lands of this State. All the data upon this
subject is being obtained, and it is likely
that at the next Legislature bill will be
introduced to appropriate money for its
open lands it can be combated, but if it