The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-14

OF in detail. In this list are included
cocklebur. sunfiower. ground nut. horse
nettle. tmiasria weed, bull mallow,
squirrel-tail grass. Russian thistle.
Bermuda grass. knot grass, nut grass,
dock, sDiny aster, dodder and Johnson
grass. There is chapter upon some
introduced weeds" and a table of fifty
Arizona weeds. Upon the title page
occurs this significant statement: If
the farmer does not kill the weeds that
appear on his farm. they become in
time the greatest monopoly with which
he has to contend" The bulletin is
written in popular style and can not
but be of service to every cultivator OF
the soil who may heed the injunctions
il contains 1t is sent free to all appli-
cants as are ali bulletins of the station
who address the Director of the Expert
rnent Station, Tucson, Arizona, for
copies ESQ tHl
Professor Tourney states that there
are more than 200 species of plants
which are considered Tleeds in Arizona,
but of this number not more than 10
per cent are sufficiently troublesome TO
be classed as bad weeds. OF these bad
weeds a portion are considered trouble
some in one locality while they are I'M
known in others. This is due TO the
large area occupied by Arizona and
the difference in altitude and condl-
tons of soil. etc, that prevail.
CLASSES OF WEEDS.
The following statement of weeds:
Weeds are either foreigners or ma
tives, i. e., they have either been
brought in during the agricultural
development of the country or are in
digenous plants capable of adapting
themselves to civilized conditions, ca
pable of migrating from the mesas and
I valleys TO the cultivated fields and
there reproducing themselves
! Among cur weeds of foreign origin are
a number of the most injurious with
which we have to contend. They are
usually more cosmopolitan in character
! than our native species, are capable of
withstanding greater variations IN
climate end will grow upon nearly all
kinds of soil. After being once intro
duced they usually spread with great
rapidity and in a few years are more
abudant than many of the native spe-
cies. As illus rations of such weeds
may be mentioned Johnson grass, bull
mallow and purslane.
AS yet we have far more species OF
native weeds than we nave OF those OF
! foreign origin, but as the territory be-
comes older in respect TO agriculture
many of the native species viii prac-
! tically disappear and their places be
taken by foreign ones, which are con-
stantly being brought in through the
| Importation of impure seed and other
wise Among the most Injurious OF
! our native weeds are nut grass. splny
aster, western dock, pignut, sunfiower,
cookie bur, horse nettle and peggaf-
weed while there are a half score of
others nearly if not quite as injurious
in special localities
WEEDS
Weeds not only imDoverish the soil
but they shade and occupy The ground
Ion "a
are all familiar with the serious effect
of spring weeds on the growth of near
| ly all kinds of crops produced in mar
ket gardening. How. if care is not eX-
ercised. they choke the slender onions
lust from the seed. and cause the --Oung
beets and parsnips 10 become pale ana
worthless.
| Weeds are hardy plants and in their
struggle for existence, unless checked,
force to the wall the more tender
plants which it is mans province TO
grow and cultivate Many weeds AID
! in the dissemination of fungus diseases
! Poot-rot, one of the most injurious
plant diseases of Arizona is largely
spread by the scattering of spores.
which correspond to seeds in higher
plants. Infested weeds aid the spores
in making their way from tree to tree,
or from one cultivated plant to another
Some weeds are injurious to stock
| Our common squirrel-tail grass, aOun-
dant in soils impregnated with alkall'
frequently causes serious injury 10
sheen and other stock. If the heads OF
this grass are eaten when dry, the
hard. sharp, awnse not infrequently
penetrate the mucus membrane OF the
mouth and cause dangerous ulcers
A number of plants indigenou to
Arizona. mostly belonging TO the genus
astragalus are known as loco weeds
/ = off no they have
when eaten. upon nearly all KINDS OF
stock. At various times much discus
sion has arisen as to the poisonous
principle found in these weeds. Many
experiments have been made and eX-
tended Investigations carried on put
the results have been conflicting De-
coctions, made from them. have been
fed TO animals and men have chewed
the weeds without any apparent effect;
again. stock have been fed on the
plants and evidently died from the re-
suit. Locoed cattle are not uncommon
in Arizona and it is the universal
opinion among cattemen that these
weeds are the cause of the disease.
The bullmallow, or cheeses tMalVa
borealis) is, according to the statement
of Professor Tourney, one of the worst
weeds of Arizona. This is plant
very abundant along the road sides, on
waste land, about barnyards and build
ings. 1t is not found commonly III
cultivated fields though crowds its way
in to some extent 1t is, however, very
troublesome in alfalfa fields, along
fence rows and pasture land generally,
growing from 16 to Is inches hgh'
though in very rich ground an &C
casionai plant Will attain the helght OF
four or FIVE feet. extending deep into
the ground. 1t branches close TO the
ground when not crowded and spreads
out over considerable area. 10 get
rid of this plant Professor Toumey
recommends the use of a spade or a
sharp hoe cutting the plant below the
crown underneath the ground, then
turning the plant bottom side up SO
that the sun will dry it out. Moving
and an occasional cutting of the plant
without cutting below the crown has
but little effect upon it.
Satisfy.
This is one crop usually grown Tor
49, mint ike narEnlDS. the