Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-10-01
THE RUSSIAN THISTLE
Not the Awful Peat " hich 1t Had Zee,
Pictured.

Pictured.
Ten years ago the Russian thistle
made its appearance In the West. The
weed gradually spread in Nebraska un-
til its wonderful vitality threatened ap-
parently the life Of more useful plants.
There was much discussion Of the new
plant at the time, and the matter was
finally referred to the agricultural au-
thOrities, and after much careful re-
search the plant was declared to be the
Russian thistle, weed 80 deadly In Its
effect that 1t would soon extermhnate al
other forms Of vegetation II not retard.
ed In Its growth. The farmers insti.
tutes were at once called on to discuss
some measures Of relief, and after sew.
eral years law was passed In Nebras-
ka that was expected to stop the raw
ages Of the weed. The measure was
for the especial protection Of the farm.
ers 1t provided that all Russian this
tie on public highways should be imme-
dtately destroyed, and that all sues
weeds on private property must be ex-
terminated within certain time. or 1t
would have to be done by the over
seers OF the adjacent roads and charged
as taxes to the land. Each county set
apart funds for the purpose Of promot-
Ing the work, and thousands Of dollars
were spent In this direction. The tough
thistle did not seem to respond very
readily to the artificial methods adopt
ed for Its determination. and apparent
ly thrived as before. The professional
farmers. however, declared that the
only salvation Of the prairie States,
where the thistle seemed most to -four
ish. was constant and unremirting toll
In this direction. They contributed
lengthy articles showing just how
many years would be required for the
Russian thistle to exterminate all other
forms Of vegetable life In Nebraska II
not retarded In its course. This alarm.
cd the farmers greatly, and the ada
cent States passed similar laws for the
destruction Of the. imported scourge
Some farms were almost completely
covered with this peculiar growth. and
the owners were almost distracted. In
some nses adjacent farmers under
took to build board fences between
their farms and those stretches of terri
tory thus afflicted. But this did little
good, as the thistle seemed to be blowr
first in one direction and then In an
other. leaving It's blighting touch upor
everything in some whole nelghbor
hoods. For year or two 1t was thu
principal theme Of discussion at tn,
farmers institutes Of the State.
But after much toll and treasure be
ing consumed fighting the alleged pest
some Of the farming communities be
gan to experience change Of heart
Gradually 1t dawned on some OF thu
more thinking farmers who had beer
observing closely the growth Of thu
gerous as the theoretical farmers hat
insisted was the case. They observed
that land covered with foreign growtl
one year was in many cases perfect,
free from the thistle the following sea
son. Many leading agriculturists 0
the State finally agreed that the plan
was not near so menacing AS at frs
supposed. and that it did not retain 1t
hold upon land for more than one sel
son, and after that never returned t
the same territory. In fact, they CON
2 pared 1t somewhat to smallpox In II
7 action on the human system. The fel
e tile soil which attracted the thistl
! seemed to have no affinity with 1t afte
: a short contact, and farms were non
the worse for the plants presence othe
than the annoyance OF the first yea
Many began to act along this line. 500
it was quite apparent that this was til
: case. Then it was shortly discovere
:. that the law regulating Its extermin,
= ton was not only costly. but quite us
less. Two years ago the sentimel
y against the continuance Of the law @
the statutes Of this State was quite pr
nomced. but did not crystalline In
=. anything definite until this session I
v the Legislature, when the farming 81
4 ment was so much In the majority tn;
9 the Russian thistle law was wiped G
n the books about the first thing.--Co
~ respondence st. Louis Globe DemOcra
Probably Broke Dishes, Too.
The Warsaw Courier says that an G
to- u