The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-05-30
THE CANADA THISTLE.
Methods for Eradicating This
Most Persistent or Weeds.
Can be Subdued in
Two Seasons.

1t Is Just AT TINS season OF the
wear that the greatest pest of the
farmer-the Canada thistle-be-
gins to iutlict its multituduiouS
fortunes To the land \ drive
about the country will give an
opportunity to anyone to observe
the weed showing itself on corn
land in spots here and there and
also ON wheat and meadow land
and roadSideS.
\ writer in the Philadelphia
Record gives the following des-
criptlon of the thistle and method
OF eradication:
An enemy which is dreaded
more than the Il year locust is the
Canada thistle. which does more
injury every year To farms i'll this
country than many other causes
to which greater attention is given.
1t spreads slowly apparently, but
il sooner or later takes full pos
session of the land. and unless
eradicaied the entire farm he
comes worthless. The heavier
seeds, which are carried by winds.
/ will terminate. but its progress
( is by means of long white root
stocks. which are proof against
disease aud seasons. 1t is claim
ed that a piece of root stock, II
: left in the soil, will grow from six
to ten feet in season. and from
each small piece as many as 30
heads will grow. The best season
fer beginning the war on thiStles
i in June. Piow tue land and
then pillow again every few weeks
until we'll into the fall. the object
being to destroy the young growth
as fast as it appears, as any plant
must succumb if deprived of form
ing leaves, as plants breathe
through the agency of the leaves.
Another plan is to allow them to
grow until the plants are just
high enough to nov and then run
the mower over the field, repeat
ing the work as fast as the plants
appear.
AS the farmer may prefer to uti
lie the land he can pillow the lane
, and plant it TO potatoes Ii he
will then give the potato crol
, frequent cultivation he will de
struy many OF the thistle and tn,
potatoes will pay for the labor
1t may not be possible TO Subdut
the thistles the first year. but i
the work is we'll done the thistle.
may be completely destroyed tn,
, second year, when the grouut
should be plowed in the spriu:
and a crop of early cabbage
grown, removing the cabbag,
crop and broadcaSting the land
after blowing and narrowing. Will
= hungarian grass seed. As tn,
: Hungarian grass grows rapid,
and may be moved once a moutl
II gives the thiStleS but littl
chance, while the previous cult
walton OF the cabbage crop vii
have greatly reduced the thistle
III number The point Is TO keel
the thlstleS cut down from July
to frost, after which they will bt
under control. On land where
young corn is growing the thistle
III not 10 numerous can be dug
up now. 1t would pay to sacri.
hce the corn TO secure the de.
structlon of the thistle
The roadSldeS must also be
carefully attended to, for it is on
the uncultivated roadSide> that
weeds are neglected and hence
are protected. NeighborS should
also work tremendously in the de
structIon OF weeds. as frequently
some negligent farmer Injuries
the entire community by produc.
lug the seeds OF weeds which are
carried 10y the winds over a large
area. Weeds may also be carried
long distances on the tops of
railroad cars or by water; in fact,
there are 50 many modes OF dis
trlbutlon that ii is almoSt impoSSi.
bic Tor any farmer to escape the
nuisance OF weeds, but all farmers
can prevent their spread and in
protecting his neighbor he also
protects himself. The Canada
thistle is not SO great a nuisance
as many suppose if farmers will
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