Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-05-29
THISTLE INVADED THE
WEST IN 1873.
brms Dense, Bushy Mass of
Ranches to 3 Feet High and
to @ Feet in Diameter.

plant now famous under the name
sian thistle" Is undoubtedly of Rus
origin, having been accidentally Ia
ced into South Dakota in fiaxseed IN
lays L. H. Dewey. assistant botanist
y United States department of agri-
Re. 1t is not, however. thistle, nor
IN resemble one, except in Its spine
oxious character. In its rolling habit
like the common tumbleweed of the
i. Properly, 1t is vicious inland var
of the saltwort. a nearly harmless
Astounding on our Atlantic sea
Description.
seeds of the weed terminate in
May and June, each sending UP ,n
nder stalk two narrow green leaves
an inch long, somewhat similar in
France to blades of grass. Between
seed leaves a short stem soon ap-
bearing slender. sharp pointed
s, presently with branches in their
Until dry weather begins the herb
Us tender and juicy, and Is eagerly
by sheep, cattle and horses. During
&tage the growth is rather slow. With
&dvent of dry weather in July and
Iist the moisture disappears from the
&s, and they wither and sometimes
f off. New shoots are rapidly formed,
|I<h at first are densely crowded with
-pointed leaves less than half an
long. but later elongate, SO that the
80 become separated by intervals Of
.-4ixteenth to one-half an inch.
12ch leaf Is accompanied by bracts
9IIar to the leaf itself. all spine-tipped
4 Projecting almost at right angles to
& lem. A single small, stemless flower
1Hs in a cup-shaped depression formed
Tie bases of the two bracts. The out
parts, or perianth, Of the flower are
III and paper like in texture. usually
|kht rose colored, and spreading, when
|Ixeopen, about one-fourth of an incn.
.<he flower is taken out and carefully
II<a to pieces a small pulpy. green,
|Ied body. appearing like a minute snail
en- will be found. This is the embryo
Miniature plant. AS the seed ripens
J.
Maturity the whole seed is about one
zenith of an inch in diameter. irregular
forrn, and Of about one-half the weigh,
i lax or clover seed.
jcfing August and early September the
ants become rigid throughout and in
aaSe rapidly in size, forming a dense
41S mass of spiny branches, often two
<1fee feet in height and four to six feet
dI4meter. BY the middle of September
b exposed parts of the plants have
u1Ify changed color from dark green to
NON or rose red. When the ground is
>14n in November the entire plant, er-
b he seed. dies.
me root, one-half inch or less in diam
N, Is now broken off at the surface If
3 hound by the force Of the wind, and
. liant is blown about as a tumble
ed. scattering seed wherever 1t goes
le bed remains inclosed in a paper-like
rIanth, and, together with this, Is loose
held in its place by numerous twisted
Iif6 so that 1t is not readily shaken
3@e from the plant. A plant may there
rs fpll about all winter and still retain
me of its seeds until the following
ring. When the seed breaks loose from
3 xlant the dry flower parts surround
i II act as a sail. so that 1t may lie
rfl4d a long distance over the snow
deoandently of the rolling plant. The
eds alone will not be borne through the
+ IKE thistle down except in a very
eh Wind, and they will not in any case
blown very far over the bare ground.
A single plant of average size, two tc
rec feet in diameter and weighing two
three pounds at maturity when dry, ie
mated to bear 10000 to $4,000 seeds
nsIe plants have been found six feet In
meter. weighing about 20 pounds wher
oronghly dry, and estimated to bear
!, 110 seeds. At maturity the heavies
ID sfrongest parts of the plant are the
twigs. The inner branches
co1xe little of the wear incident to tum
Iuf about, and are only strong enough
hold the plant together.
Tho two common tumbleweeds of the
6ins (Amaranthus albus and Cycloloma
are the plants most likely
BE- mistaken for the Russian thistle
hey have the same hemispherical form
"a bnshy habit, but they can readily b'
s{1uguished by their fiat leaves and b!
I6 absence of spines; and besides tni
icy begin to roll month earlier than tn
ussian thistle.
TROUBLESOME Character.
Tbs injury to crops is of course tn
ost Important item in the damage cause
Y the Russian thistle. 1t takes complet
oeyession Of the land, crowding out othe
|af2ta Flax. wheat. rye, barley and oat
II 9ulfer from its effects, not only in til
aduction of the crop but in the lowe
rade of that which Is harvested. Corr
o<4toes, vegetables, and, in fact, nearl
u cultivated crops are injured more o
Sc. 1roportionately to their lack Of car
nd cultivation.
rhe|spiny character, added to the rigit
us1f habit of the plant. makes II one {
h4 most disagreeable of weeds to handl'
When mature it can not be plowed unde
nd "A is often impossible to pillow field
L III until the thistles are removed. Bint
ira can not be run where the thistles al
|tun1ant, and even the working Of II
|6a1trs is seriously interfered with. II
|nn11Ance and positive injury to men ar
|nimals Is seriously interfered with. IL
Ioroyance and positive injury to men ar
Iuimals which they cause by their rig
|piues Is undoubtedly greater than tn
,auzcd by any of the true thistles.
trouble Of another kind results from the
being blown during prairie fires aero
1rs 5teaks that would otherwise be amp
to stacks or buildings.
Useful Qualities.
W#tn the Russian thistle plants a
rourk and tender they are Of some use
-. 40 fora 90 for stnek aSnaoialiv shaa