Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-08-11
OUR FARMERS.
WARNING TO FARMERS.

George Aitken, president of the
Vermont Agricultural Association,
and manager of the celebrated "Fred
Billings farm at Woodstock-prob-
ably the best conducted farm in Yer
mont-writes to the Vermont Stand
ard at Woodstock with reference to
the danger of the orange hawk-weed,
or what is perhaps better known as
the DEVILS Paint Brush, which seems
destined to work immense injury to
our northern Vermont farms unless
its growth is checked. He recon-
mends 800 pounds of salt per acre,
although other authorities say that
400 pounds is better.
When salt can be bought for 81 90
per ton-that is the price that Cover
nor Page sells it for at his Hide House,
it seems foolish to allow this terrible
pest to get a foothold in Lamoille
county.
Mr.. Aitken might have added that
the state experiment station says
that the salt more than pays for it
self in the increase of yield of hay,
where it is used on meadows. He
says:
81 have lately received numerous
inquiries relating to the spread, and
the best means of graduating, the
dangerous weed known as the orange
hawk weed or paint brush, and take
this method of answering them.
"About ten years ago canvas of
the state showed that the quack-
grass was considered the most dan
gerous weed of Vermont, but to-day
the hawkweed is by far the most
serious. It is native of the Alpine
regions of Europe and was introduced
into the eastern states as garden
plant early last century, and while it
is recognized as a pest in eastern
Canada, Maine, New York and
northern Pennsylvania, it seems to
have found in Vermont it's most con-
genial habitat, and is rapidly taking
possession of our hill pastures. In
common with most other weeds it
succumbs readily t. thorough Guilt
walton, but on our bill pastures where
cultivation is impossible, when once
established it spreads rapidly and
eventually kills out all the grass. It's
first appearance in Woodstock was
noticed about nine years ago and
true to it's nature it appeared first on
the highest points in the vicinity, but
seems to be adapting itself to the
lower attitudes and is now to be found
in patches all over the town. Tt is
easily recognized by it's orange red
blossoms about the size of silver
quarter, and blooms from June to
November. 1t has been estimated
that a single plant will produce in one
season about twelve hundred seeds,
and that is not the only means of
propagation, as it spreads rapidly by
means of root stocks or underground
stems, and also by runners sent out
from the base of the plant after the
manner of strawberry plants. 1t is
utterly worthless as forage plant
and should be exterminated where
ever found; the most effectual method
is of course to dig il up, but when
that is not practical it may be killed
by the use of salt.
"The state experiment station
recommends 300 pounds of salt per
acre, this amount of salt will not usu-
ally damage the grass, but on some
soils will benefit it. When using salt
care must be taken to put it on when
the sun is hot and the plant perfectly
dry, as the salt operates by absorbing
the moisture from the plant. Failures
reported in the use of salt were
caused either by not using enough OF
in putting it on when the plants were
wet.
"It is to be hoped that the farmers
of Woodstock will be on the lookou!
for this weed and destroy it before il
gets such a foothold as it has il
Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille an6
Chittenden counties, where it has
practically ruined many pastures"