The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-09-21
NOxlOUS WEEDS TO GO.
Advice to Farmers How to Carry It
Forward.

One of the most valuable bulletins
to stockmen. ranchers and farmers
which has yet been issued by the
Montana Agricultural Experiment sta
ton is Bulletin No. 80. which deals
with the weeds of Montana. 1t has
been prepared under the direction of
J. W. Blankinship, botanist, and
among other things gives summary
of the general characteristics of
weeds, their means of distribution.
and origin of the weed flora. 1t tells
of the root system, and Classics them
by situation. The bulletin also con-
tains an annoted list of 1919 distinct
weeds, together with members OF
each family. accompanied by picture
and good description of each. thus
the various weeds may be recognized
when seen. The bulletin may be OBJ
tanned by anyone applying to the eX-
pertinent station at Bozeman.
There are some weeds like the sun
flower and wild oats and wild mustard
which are difficult to clear out. The
only method of eradication is to SOW
the land with some grain suitable for
pasturage, such as rye or oats, and
to keep this closely cropped by sheep.
There are some few special kinds of
weeds which are particularly difficult
of determination on account of their
spread of underground roots. such as
the poverty weed. wild liquorice, the
milk weed. wild asparagus, the iron
weed and the lupine The Canadian
thistle is the worst. Its growth can
be restricted by keeping it down, but
this will hardly exterminate it. 1t
can be smothered by building straw or
hay stacks over the spots affected or
by covering them with manure dumps
and it may be often killed by plentiful
sprinkling salt or kerosene over fresh
ly cut stumps. Sodium arsenite is
| more effective.
The morning glory and the sheer
sOrrel are nearly as difficult to eradi
cate and much worse to spread tnan
the Canadian thistle, but it has as yet
only appeared in a few localities in
| the state.
The Russian thistle does not exhibit
| such dangerous characteristics in this
| state. 1t has been found no where ex
cept in the Milk River and Yellow
stone valleys.
| A great difficulty in the extermina
| tlOn OF weeds is the TACT tDat the SEEDS
of many of them will lie in the sol
for several years without losing theil
vitality, and, when turned to the sur
face, produce new crop of weeds
1t is for this reason that several year!
of diligent culture is necessary before
field can be cleared of such weed!
as the sunflower, wild oats and will
mustard. A field cannot be cleared o
noXious weeds until all the seeds cal
be caused to terminate and then killed
The only feasible method for com
batting weeds in Montana, where few
of the more dangerous and trouble
some species have not yet more thai
secured foothold, says the bulletin
is by the organization of the farmer
into districts and the election of
competent weed inspector for each dis
trict. This inspector should have sin
liar powers to road supervisors to ca
for a certain amount of aid from eac
farmer. to be used in the common il
terest of stamping out these pest
from infected localities or compel il
dividuals to clear their lands of thes
pests. Unless some effort of this kin
is made. the labor of the farmer wi
be greatly increased.