The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-09-25
weeds Most Troublesome to Farmers

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Wild lettuce, Russian thistle Canadian
thistle, Spanish needle oxeye daisy Ga
species of chrysantbemum. wild and black
mustard purslane, stick weed or beggar 5
lice, burdock, yellow dock, bracted plan
tain. horse nettle, buffalo bur, wild carrot,
rae weed and dog fennel
Some of these weeds are ANIMALS, some
are biennals and some are perennials, and
a knowledge Of these distinctions enables
the farmer to intelligentlY deal with the
pests. Take, for example, the common
burdock it is biennial that is, it grows
from the seed. and the first year it grows
large leaves but does not throw out any
seed stalk; the second year it goes to seed,
and It's burs containing the numerous seed
pods will stick to live stock. Did any Of
YOU ever see sticking to stock these burs
10 be thrashed out in the pastures ans over
the farm, thus scattering the seed Now.
during the first year growth Of a burslock
there is no use to cut tin fact. it does
more harm than good; but the second year
when it sends forth its seed stalk, just be-
fore it blossoms cut il down in the yigor
of its evil existence, and it will be dead
forever. On the other hand, the yellow
dock is a perennial, like timothy. and is
very mean weed. Its seeds do not spread
so easily, but cutting it off does not kill it.
It should be dug up root and branch, aud
cast into the FIRE, that its seed may perish
from off the earth
Some weeds, especially ANIMALS or bien
mails may be killed by moving them just
before, or at the time, they blossom; but
there are other weeds which cannot be
killed by moving after they are in bloom
for example, the Canada thistle will ma
ture it's seed.
The wild lettuce you all know very well,
though the acquaintance is somewhat brief
and disagreeable. 1t is biennial some
times annual. 1t came to this country
from Europe; its seeds are lighter and car
ried more easily than the thistle; it Il
hardy plant and should be pulled out by
the roots. The stem, close to the ground,
is prickly and cannot be pulled without a
covering on the hand 1t is most trouble
some in meadows; sheep will eat it and
keep it in check in pastures A full
grown plant will produce about ten thou
sand seeds. There is fungus which
comes with this weed which will attack
cultivated lettuce. When cut near the
ground it will send up additional sprouts
which will 20 to seed.
The Russian thistle first appeared in
Dakota in 1873, and is now found over
the greater part of the State. In some
places the fields have been abandoned. 1t
was first noticed in Ohioin 1894 along the
tracks of the Lake Shore Railroad, near
BRYAN 1t is one Of the worst weeds
known, and large portion Of Europe is
afflicted with it, 1t is an annual and
should be cut down when it first blooms,
for one plant will produce about twenty
thousand Seeds
The Canada thistle grows about two feet
high; has prickly leaves, rose purple flow
er, and is the highest colored Of all this
ties. 1t has the power Of reproducing
itself from roots as well as seeds. 1t Is Il
perennial plant, and therefore more trou-
blesome than either the wild lettuce or the
Russian thistle. 1t is often shipped from
place to place in baled hay. 1t originally
grew in Europe and not in Canada, but it
reached this country from Europe through
Canada 1t is more common in Canada
than in the United States. While it is
more difficult to suppress than the Russian
thistle. the Russian thistle is much more
injurious The better way is to never
permit this pest to mature on the farm.
After it or any other weed once obtains a
foothold, the labor multiplies many times
to suppress it.
Wild and black mustard are annuals-
that is, they produce seed each year. The
plants themselves die, and the following
year the seed will grow and mature seed.
After the ground has become full of this
seed, the successful way to treat them is
to NOW each year. just as they bloom. If
this be done for two or three years, the
plant can be destroyed. But if the plants
be growing in a meadow, they will mature
seed before the grass is ready to cut, so
that such fields should be pastured or cul-
tivated.
Purslane you are all acquainted with,
from its heshy leaves and stems. 1t is
creeping plant, but can mature more seed
to each plant than any other known plant.
It is estimated that one plant will bring
forth million seeds, and it may be very
troublesome when the ground becomes
thoroughly seeded to it. The way to kill
it is to cut off when it has reached ina
ture size, and before it has produced seed,
and turn it to the sun 1t is an annual,
growing each year from the seed.
Stick weed OF beggars lice are trouble
some little seeds that will stick to animals
and especially to the wool of sheep, but
are easily suppressed if mown during their
growth Bracted plantain is plant that
grows annually from the seed, and may
therefore be suppressed The buffalo bur
you are no doubt all familiar with, and it is
easily suppressed, provided the plant be
cut off before it goes to seed. 1t is an
annual and will not reproduce itself from
the roots. Wild carrot is very bad weed,
and if there be but little of it, it should
be dug up by the roots, and always, of
course, moved just at or before the time
it blooms 1t is biennial Rag weed
is the most common weed in this country
and the best time to suppress it is when
there is plenty of moisture to terminate ali
the seed; then NOV off the weeds before
the seed can mature; rake them up and
let them rot as they contain good deal
of fertilizing material.
The Spanish needle is an annual aud
may be suppressed by moving before the
seed can mature. 1t is very trouble
some plant and should be suppressed.
Much injury was done to the wheat last
year because of the rag weed, there being
so much rain that when the wheat was
thrashed, the rag weed being wet caused
some of the wheat to spoil, whereas, had
there been no rag weed with the wheat,
it would have dried out, so as to have done
no injury. Thus thousands of dollars
were lost to the farmers of Allen county
alone because of the rag weed 1t is an
annual The roots never reproduce;