The Iola register., 1900-04-27

write on the subject "Weeds and
their Growth, T." 1t behoves me first to
ascertain what are Weeds. Webster
in his Una bridged Dictionary says:
"a weed lie any plant that is useless
or troublesome" and adds further:
"The word.has no definite application
to any particular plant or species of
plants, and whatever plants grow
among corn or grass, in hedges or
elsewhere, and which are of no use to
man, Injurious TO crops, or unsightly
or out Of place, are denominated
weeds" In the long ago, perhaps
5000 years or more ago, when the
beautiful Garden of Eden was planted
with everything which was good for
food and pleasant to the sight, then
there were no weeds In existence, but
after the tall of man when the edict
was promulgated: "Cureed is the
ground for thy sake; thorns and
thistles shall 1t bring forth and in
the sweat Of thy 1ace thou shalt eat
bread" Then came weeds. This 10. the
Scriptural authority for the origin OF
weeds, but 1t 10 not quoted to empha-
size sthe fact that some cross grain
people lmen, Of course) charge women
with the responsibility Of the ex ist-
ence of weeds. But still the fact re-
mains that prior to the time when
Mrs. Eve transgressed the command
and Influenced that very susceptible
young man (Adam) to follow suit,
weeds grew not.
Now, how ts get rid of them or hold
them under subjection Is the absorb
ing question. Thousands, yes mil
lions of dollars are lost annually
throughout the world by lack OF
knowledge as to the harmfulness OF
certain kinde of weeds. In order to
diagnose the ease intelligently 1t will
be necessary to call attention in par
ticular to some OF the weeds which
are doing immense damage In the old
States EAST and Soutb) and are slow
ly but surely encroaching upon the
virgin soil of the middle west.
A weed of the genus Bells family,
of whichlthere is several varieties In
the east, has become very trou blesome
and has caused much loss in small
grain crops especially in wheat, rye
oats land clover seed. 1t is of the
daisy family, called by some farmers
Carolina pink, which by the way it
does not resemble either q little. On
the Atlantic coast from whence the
writer came the farmers simply called
it fennel, because it bears striking
resem blAnce.to the common dog fennel
both in the blossom and odor. The
flower being yellow in the center
fringed with white but the leaf is en-
tirely different. 1t is invading Kan.
sas and lie now growing on some farms
in Allen county and farmers should
use every effort to destroy 1t rs 1t
spreads very rapidly.
Ribwort or ripple grass especially
the plantain is with us and is rulnous
to lawns and clover fields. And when
known to be in clover seed simply
ruins the price of 1t. The common
old white plantain also needs watch
ing to keep it from spreading.
Wild parsnip, called thus, perhaps,
because it has whi teish yellow root
and has the same pleasant fragrance
with which the domestic parsnip is 80
richly endowed. The blossoms are
very numerous and white. 1t is
dangerous plant, one well developed
stock will produce seed enough TO
ruin an acre of land. 1t also grows
and spreads from the roots and in
ordinary ground will root from ten to
twenty four inches deep and is
extremely hard to extermiate. 1t
grows on the road side, in hedges and
in the fields. Seed very small and
like ripple grass and plantain is found
in clover seed and the only way to
detect it is to wet the finger and in
sert 1t In the clover seed and examine
closely what adheres to the finger.
This weed spreads very rapidly and
has already obtained q strong foot
hold in some parts of Allen county.
A plant of the genus Ruinex COM
monty called sour or narrow dock, to
distinguish 1t from the broad leaf or
Burdock, is well known weed. 1t
spreads very rapidly, is very prolific
in seeds, has long root and is very
difficult TO kill as the root never dies
if left alone but If cut with a hoe or
anything else just below the ground,
say half an inch, will destroy it bat
if cut deeper it will grow again. so
troublesome has this pest become in
Missouri that the legislature, am
told, enacted restrictive laws against
IN making II n nrima for the Ownara Of